Issue No. 19

Bonjour!
Summer is served in this issue of The Good Life France Magazine!
From delicious sunshine cocktails and scrumptious recipes to what's new in France
this summer, there's a ton of information and gorgeous photos to inspire your visits.
We take an in-depth look at the historic and gorgeous Abbaye de Senanque in
Provence, discover Calvados in Normandy and put the spotlight on Saint-Denis
Paris. We also visit the ritzy Ritz Hotel in Paris where Coco Channel lived, explore 20
great things to do in Toulouse and find out what to do on a weekend in Grenoble
and Vienne, often overlooked by visitors, these two great towns have so much to
offer.
You'll love our feature on the best markets in France - it's official! We take a look at
some of the most amazing chateaux in Burgundy and Franche-Comté and meet the
owners who have the privilege and hard work of caring for them.
There are expat stories to inspire those who may be considering the move, including
a British snail farmer in the north of France (yes really!), practical advice guides and
more...
And don't forget to enter our five give away competitions for great summer reading!
Bisous from France
Janine
ps that's my dog Bruno, he's a gentle giant who loves to play with a ball!

contributors
Barb Harmon is a freelance
travel writer and hopeless
Francophile. She and her
husband are looking
forward to living the good
life in France (fingers
crossed). She blogs at
chasingthenextchapter.com
Lucy Pitts is the Deputy
Editor of The Good Life
France Magazine. She
divides her time between
the UK and France where
she has a home in the the
Vendée area, known as the
Green Venice of France.
Find her at stroodcopy.com
Martha McCormick is a writer
who first set foot in France at
age 17 where she experienced
an epiphany perhaps familiar
to many people: This is what
life is meant to be!
Editor: Janine Marsh contact editor (at) the goodlifefrance.com
Deputy Editor: Lucy Pitts
Advertising: sales (at) thegoodlifefrance.com
Digital support: Umbrella Web Solutions
Artistic support: Kumiko at KumikoChesworth.myportfolio.com
Front Cover image: Honfleur, Calvados, Normandy

contents
P. 8
p. 25
P. 30
p 26
Features
8 The Secret Life of
Chateaux
A look at some of the magnificent castles
of Burgundy and Franche-Comté
20 Discover Calvados
The famous liqueur of Normandy that can
blow your socks off!
26 What's new for Summer
2018 in France
Great events and openings you won't want
to miss
32 Le Weekend in Grenoble
Visit the cities that have so much to offer
and a long an ancient history, well worth a
visit.
38 The Abbaye de Senanque
Provence
Famous for the lavender fields but worth a
visit on its own merits.
44 20 things to do in
toulouse
The bet things to do in the sunny city from
dawn to dusk

p. 54
p. 76
p. 72
Features continued
54 The best markets in
France - it's official
A recent competition crowned the favourite
markets of the French - we reveal all...
62 Lourdes the Capital of
Miracles in France
Kevin Pilley visits Lourdes and finds its a
place of friendship and welcome.
68 Putting on the Ritz
Barb Harmon doesn't spend the night but
does fall in love with the Chanel suite.
72 Spotlight on Saint-Denis
The Paris suburb has some spectacular
places to visit.
Regular
76 Your Photos
Featuring the best photos for April, May
and June shared on our Facebook page -
78 Give Aways
5 Great books - perfect for summer reading,
just enter the draws!
80 Expat Story: The British
Snail Farmer wowing the
French
At first the locals were curious, now they're
fans of the Brit farming snails in France!
86 Expat Story: The best B&B
in France!
How to be successful with a B&B.

p. 62
p. 102
p. 54
p. 68
p. 78
Expert Advice
90 Hobby Homes
Farms, Vineyards and Equestrian
properties, guide to how and where to buy.
94 expert financial advice
You don't need to be a millionaire to
benefit from financial advice.
98 the basics of banking in
france
Everything you need to know about setting
up a bank account in France.
Gastronomy
24 chicken with calvados
25 Cupcakes with calvados
100 ratatouille tian
102 creme caramel
104 chestnut and chocolate
torte

The Secret life of
Chateaux

The Secret World of Castles…
Not all chateaux are open to the public as grand museums, in fact the majority of them
are still lived in. Their owners see them as a responsibility and a privilege, with a duty to
keep the ancient and often enormous homes safe for future generations.
Burgundy has more chateaux than any other region in France. It’s neighbour and now
partner since the 2016 regional shake up, Franche-Comté also has its fair share of
castles including the incredible 17th century Citadel of Besancon.
Go chateau-hopping in Bourgogne-Franche-Comte and you’ll find chateaux galore to
explore and stay in…
Here are a few favourites:
The chateau was built in the Renaissance
style. Set in 123 acres of parkland, it is one
of the first French castles to have been
built to a plan that was set out on paper. It
was the work of Italian architect
Sebastiano Serlio who went to France to
work on the Chateau of Fontainebleau and
the Louvre. Before then, castles tended to
be designed as they went along.
The Chateau was once owned by the
husband of Diane de Poitier’s sister and
there have been claims that the ghost of
the famous mistress of Henri II, who had
an apartment here, roams the rooms. The
castle changed hands several times and
fell into neglect before being bought by a
Paris real estate company which has
Chateau d’Ancy-le-Franc, Yonne
undertaken a long and very expensive
restoration of the chateau.
Inside beautifully renovated and furnished
rooms and the once glorious 16th century
murals painted by the great masters of
yesteryear are coming back to life as
experts restore the colours. In the chapel
which took 8 years to paint, the ancient
walls are being revealed for the first time in
centuries. Wine fairs and concerts are held
in the beautiful grounds and the
sumptuously decorated courtyard and
grounds are the perfect place to wander
and enjoy the orangery, 18th century folly
and gorgeous gardens.
chateau-ancy.com

Chateau stay: Chateau Vault de Lugny, Yonne
Channel your inner King and Queen
at this stunning moated chateau
hotel – you can even book the room
once reserved for kings. Built
between the 13th and 17th centuries
the chateau Vault de Lugny oozes
charm and history and is now owned
by charming couple Elisabeth and
Pascal Bourzeix. Expect roaring open
fires on cold nights, fabulous food in
a gastronomic restaurant and
wonderful service. And the rooms.
You seriously feel like royalty in
these exquisite rooms that look just
like they must have to the nobles
who stayed in them centuries years
ago. The hotel pool has been voted
the most beautiful in France and
believe me, there’s nothing quite so
special as taking a dip in a pool in an
ancient but warm cellar that feels
cocoon like. It can be hired for a
private dinner a deux – how romantic
is that?
lugny.fr

Chateau de Sully, Saone-et-Loire
Madame de Sévigné, a 17th century
aristocrat famous for recording daily life
through copious letters, called the
courtyard of the Chateau de Sully “the
most beautiful in France”, and she wasn’t
wrong. It is a huge space, perfect for
partying aristos and surrounded by the
walls of the fabulous castle. The gorgeous
courtyard (photo page: 8-9) was designed
by Gaspard de Saulx-Tavannes, a favourite
of Queen Catherine de Medici.
The Chateau is perhaps not as well-known
as it ought to be as it is in the middle of
beautiful burgundy countryside, around
35km from Beaune, but it's well worth the
effort to visit and explore the beautiful
grounds and interior.
Built around 1567, this is no museum
chateau, in fact it’s still lived in by Madame
la Duchesse de Magenta, Marquise de Mac
Mahon. It has a pinch of medieval, a dash
of Renaissance and is elegant and pretty
as a picture. Surrounded by a moat fed by
the River Drée, you cross a five arch bridge
to enter the castle passing by what look
like giant, ancient stone chess pieces. In
fact they are symbols of the pride of a
previous owner who on being made a
Marquis celebrated by ordering the great
stone sculptures of artefacts that feature on
a marquis' coronet.
The castle has been in the Mac Mahon
family for several generations after Jean
Mac Mahon, an Irish doctor married an
heiress who inherited the castle. It was the
home of Patrice de Mac Mahon, President
of France from 1875-1879. The Duchess who
hails from Scotland, married the Duke of
Mac Mahon and it is she who lives there
with her children and manages the vast
estate ensuring the castle’s well-being.
You’ll often spot her flitting about the castle
and gardens followed by her excitable,
friendly dogs.
Inside the rooms are furnished with family
heirlooms.

The family have hardly changed
anything but maintained the integrity
and historic beauty of the chateau for
future generations. There’s no central
heating and in a big castle like this, it
can get very cold in the winter. “We
have hot water bottles” says the
Duchess laughing.
Thanks to this determination to keep
the chateau authentic, a guided tour
reveals the exquisite footprints of
history in every room. Unlike some
chateaux the French Revolution
didn’t leave its mark.
Legend has it that the when the
revolutionaries arrived to take the
widowed Marquise to prison, the
family explained that she was in her
80s and was dying and they
persuaded the mob to come back
when she had passed, which was
predicted to be soon. The old lady did
die a few weeks later but the canny
family put her body in a barrel of
brandy. When the revolutionaries
returned, the family retrieved the
body, put it in bed and pretended the
old lady was still ill. The revolutionaries
insisted on seeing her and
agreed that she really didn’t look
well. This went on until the French
Revolution calmed down and the
chateau survived. To this day says
the Duchess, no one knows what day
the Marquise actually died on, so
they put 14 July 1978 on her grave.
Guided visits are available daily
(March to November), in English in
summer months, and there are
events throughout the year. It's
especially kid-friendly with lots to do.
Dont miss the delicious tea room and
irresistible shop where you can buy
the Estate's wine and fab souvenirs.
www.chateaudesully.com
Top: Amelie, Duchesse de Magenta with
her sister Charlotte with some wine
made from the Chateau's estate. Above:
the incredible stone sculptures that
represent the pieces from a Marquis'
coronet

Château de Couches, Saône-et-Loire
The 12th century Chateau de Couches was
a former home of the fabulously wealthy
Dukes of Burgundy. These days we can all
take a guided tour and enjoy the wonderful
views from its high walls. You can also rent
a gorgeous apartment, take a guided wine
tasting, book a wine course and join in the
events. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy
lunch at the Chateau, where the fresh,
home-made menu and local wines
combined with beautiful views are fantastic
(Thursday-Sunday, 12h-14h – reserve online
at their website below).
www.chateaudecouches.com
Chateau de Germolles, Saône-et-Loire
This ancient chateau is really quite
extraordinary. Not just for its good looks
and its ancient history but because in one
of the rooms the original wall decoration
dating to the 14th century is still intact and
very beautiful.
It once belonged to the Dukes of Burgundy
and was home to Philip le Bold and his wife
Margaret of Flanders, the richest heiress in
Europe in her day. Though they owned
around 50 properties including 20 palaces,
this is the best surviving property of the
immensely wealthy Duke. He gave it to
Margaret as a gift, at that time it was more
of a fort. She had it renovated to look much
prettier. She also kept animals in the fields,
put swans in the moat and made perfume
from the roses that grew there, much like
Marie-Antoinette escaping the problems of
daily life in her hamlet at Versailles.
On a guided tour of the house, owner
Matthieu Pinette urges “don’t touch the
walls” in one of the bedrooms and it’s easy
to see why.

Above: 14th century wall decor;
above right: entry at the Chateau
de Germolles
Amazingly the letter M for Margaret and
P for Philip, are painted on the wall, and
they’re original, dating back to the winter
of 1389-90 according to the records. The
black colour that you see is glue holding
what would originally have been gold. It’s
very romantic and absolutely astonishing
to know that more that 650 years ago,
the nobles who lived here would have
gone to bed at night looking at the same
walls and décor we can see today. Very
much the keeper of the castle, Matthieu
ensures the maintenance, restoration
and renovation of the home that has
been in his family for 150 years.
Guided visits are available
www.chateaudegermolles.fr

Château d’Arlay, Jura, Franche-Comte
Pop over the border from Burgundy into
Franche-Comté and the Jura Department to
visit the Chateau d’Arlay. The castle is
lovely but it’s the gardens that make it a
real knock out visit with exquisite views
over the countryside. With 8 hectares of
walled park, it’s the perfect place for a
breath of fresh air. Afterwards take a visit
of the castle which was built in 1774 on the
site of a fort which dates back to 1150.
The family-owned home is full of beautiful
artefacts furnished by former resident the
Countess Laraguais, heiress to the Princes’
of Orange’s holdings in the region. During
the French Revolution the castle remained
unharmed but many of its possessions
were taken. Later, Napoleon ordered
reparations to families who had lost
belongings and the castle is full of furniture
from the 1800s where the family went on a
spending spree with the money they were
awarded. There’s an eclectic collection here
including some fabulous giraffe
memorabilia commemorating the arrival of
Zarafa the giraffe in France in 1827. She was
a gift from the King of Egypt to Charles X of
France and walked with her keepers from
Marseille to Paris where she lived in the
Jardin des Plantes – it caused a sensation
in the day.
You’ll need around 3 hours to take a tour,
visit the grounds and do a wine tasting in
the shop which sells the wine made from
the estate.
www.chateau-arlay.com

Photo: Christopher Cage
Chateau de Joux, Haut-Doubs
If you like your castles to be brooding and
dramatic then this one’s for you. Perched
on a rocky peninsula along one of the
ancient major trade routes of Europe, the
Chateau de Joux tells a tale of a thousand
years of military history.
A visit here is not for the faint-hearted,
those who have mobility issues and
definitely no pushchairs. There are no lifts
or ramps, you have to get into the castle via
steep stairs. It's worth it though because
this isn't like any other castle. "Here we
dream of history" said Francois Miterrand
when he visited and he's right, this place
feels alive with the past - 1000 years worth.
It was also once a prison “the little sister of
the Bastille” says the guide. It made the
hair stand up on the back of my neck just
to think about those who have been locked
up in this chateau. There have been many,
including the unfortunate Berthe de Joux,
wife of a crusader. Believeing he was dead
she fell in love with one of his companions.
Alas the husband returned, killed the lover
and locked his wife in a tower where she
stayed until he died.
You can visit the cell where prisoners were
held and when the guide turns out the light,
the darkness weighs like a tangible horror,
totally dark and silent, you can't help but
shudder.
There are no glamorous furnishings, no
gardens to walk through - this is the bad
boy of castles with seriously impressive
views to match and kids will love its
dramatic story. Parents might like to visit
nearby Pontarlier afterwards where
absinthe is made!
Open April - November, guided tour only,
see the website for events and night time
tours.
chateaudejoux.com

Citadel of Besanson, Jura
The immense Citadel of Besancon
deserves far more space than we have
here, but it would be impossible to mention
Jura and not mention this huge,
astonishing fort. (You can expect a whole
article devoted to the subject in the near
future!).
When I entered through the huge arch of
the vast masterpiece built by Louis XIV's
military engineer Vauban, crows cawed
and the sound echoed all around. The last
thing I expected to see as I walked over a
bridge to the inner area was baboons and
goats running around, but there they were,
capering about on the hill the citadel sits
on. I'm told they're retired from zoos and
can't get out!
you're in the clouds, especially if it's a misty
day as it was when I was there.
Inside this UNESCO listed monument
which covers a massive 12 hectares, are
museums, an aquarium, insectarium,
noctarium, farm and rooms with exhibits
and showing film, walkways in the sky and
a whole lot more. You could easily spend
an entire day here if you want to see
everything.
And always, there are the views,
extraordinary from this vantage point 100m
above the old town.
Open from February to December.
Citadel.com
The Citadel is so high you feel as though
Get lots more information about chateaux and places to stay in Bourgogne-
Franche-Comte at the tourist office website: en.bourgognefranchecomte.com

Discover
Calvados
Calvados is both a place and a drink. It is a
department that lies in the heart of
Normandy and includes amongst its many
jewels the pretty harbour town of Honfleur,
swanky Deauville, and the port town of
Caen, capital of Calvados as well as William
the conquerors last home town.
This area is known as the garden of Paris,
rich in fruit, vegetables, fish and meat
products. It’s also home to some of the best
apple orchards in the world from which
Calvados the drink is made…
Normandy Eau de Vie
They’ve been making cider in Normandy for
centuries and from cider comes Calvados, a
sort of apple brandy known as a “drink fit for
kings and farmers alike”.
distillation in Normandy was described by
Sir Gilles de Gouberville in his diaries on 28
of March 1553.
Four different types of apple are grown in
Calvados - sweet, bitter sweet, bitter and
acidic - the perfect combination for cider. To
create Calvados, the cider is distilled twice
creating eau de vie. The liquid is matured in
wood barrels and blended. The result is a
strong and rather subtle taste that can blow
your socks off.
One of the best known and most important
Calvados producers is Pere Magloire,
founded in 1821. Their range includes
several bottles of differing ages and you'll
find Calvados easily in shops in France as
well as overseas.
The first official reference regarding cider

The Calvados Experience
You can find out all about Calvados at the
Calvados Experience, part museum, part
show. This brand new experience opened in
2018 at Pont-L’Eveque on the site of
France’s oldest and most famous distillery.
It’s a celebration of and homage to
Calvados and I really don’t want to spoil it
by giving too much away but this is a fully
immersive “experience” with some
awesome special effects. One minute you’ll
find yourself in a centuries old Norman town
on a misty morning listening to bird song,
peeking at a farmer and his rosy cheeked
wife picking apples. The next minute you’ll
find yourself watching an apple mountain
tumble and fill the air with the scent of
crushed apples. It’s very artistic and very
well done, educational as well as fun, telling
the history of Calvados – and it’s quite a
story.
The Calvados Experience is great for the
whole family and there’s a tasting included
in the visit (though not for kids) and a very
smart shop selling Calvados and cider
products plus a picnic area and a café on
site.
calvados-experience.com/en - you can take
the tour in eight languages.
Calvados Cocktail Competition
Normandy folk love Calvados so much that
each year they hold an International
Calvados cocktail competition with a
different theme, for instance in 2018
competitors had to include a vegetable
element. It’s an event that’s taken seriously
with entrants from around the world flying in
to participate. They are the winners of best
bartender competitions from countries like
Russia, UK, Estonia, Sweden, Finland,
Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy and Poland as
well as of course France. Student bar
tenders also take part. And, if you thought
Calvados was just for drinking neat with ice,
you couldn’t be more wrong, it makes an
excellent base for cocktails.

Far left: Calvados
Experience; mid:
Calvados Experience
shop; left: Calvados
pairing; above: Some
of the Calcvados
cocktail contest
winners
The competition has been emceed for
several years by possibly the world’s most
famous bartender, the legendary Colin Field
of the Ritz, Paris. “Hotel bars are where it’s
at these days” he says. He’s seen Calvados
make a splash and move into the sexy world
of cocktails and says he's been working with
it since 1982 - always ahead of his time.
In days of old Calvados was a popular tipple
with coffee in the morning - and at night. In
fact, it's still drunk this way in some places.
But these days it's far more popular mixed
with all sorts of things to create the most
delicious cocktails. In Normandy they take
their mixes seriously. The International
Calvados Cocktail Competition is fun but
surprisingly sober, winning is a serious
business.
“A good bartender can make the reputation
of a bar“ says Colin, “they’re a
representative who can convert a bar’s
attitude with their deft mix, gift of the gab
and their image”.
Next time you’re in a bar – ask for a
Calvados cocktail and prepare to be
surprised…
Look out for next year's contest in Calvados,
entry is free to the public: www.
calvadosnouvellevogue.fr/
Pere Magloire
Summer Punch
4 cl of Calvados Père
Magloire
2 cl of Pommeau Père
Magloire
4 cl of orange juice
2 cl of mango juice
1 cl of strawberry syrup
Serve with ice and a slice!
www.calvados-peremagloire.com

Chicken with Calvados
Ingredients for 4 people
4 chicken breasts
4 apples to cook
4 small turnips (optional)
1 quince (if you can’t get hold of one use a Golden delicious apple, peel,
chop and heat until soft and pulpy)
20 cl of coconut milk
20 cl of cream
100 g of butter
10 cl of Calvados
Some chopped rosemary and chives
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preheat the oven to 180 ° C/ Gas Mark 4.
Cook the chicken breasts in the oven, 15 minutes on each side.
Wrap the quince generously in foil and cook in boiling water for 1 hour. It will turn to pulp,
set aside.
Peel and cut the turnips into 4 pieces. Cook them in salted water.
Peel the apples, cut them into quarters. Cook in butter for 15 minutes until golden.
Mix the coconut milk with the quince pulp, the Calvados, the rosemary and crème fraiche
together.
Divide the creamy mix onto plates, then the apple and turnip wedges. Lay the chicken
over the top. Sprinkle with chives, salt, freshly ground pepper.
And for real zing, decorate with lemon zest and serve with a glass of Calvados
These recipes are from the Interprofession des Appellations Cidricoles, find more on their
website at: www.idac-aoc.fr

Cupcakes with Calvados
Ingredients for 12 white chocolate cupcakes with Calvados
2eggs
100 g of sugar
120 g of flour
5 g of baking powder
120 g of melted butter
100 g of white chocolate
1 apple (sweet and crunchy)
5 cl of Calvados
10 g of butter
Decoration of the cupcake:
50 g icing sugar
5 cl of Calvados
25 g of butter
Preheat oven to 180° c/ Gas Mark 4.
Peel and dice the apple (1/2 cm pieces). Sauté them in a pan with 20g of butter and
drizzle with calvados for a few minutes until lightly coloured but still crunchy. Remove
from the heat.
Beat the egg whites and sugar together and add the flour and baking powder. Melt the
chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and add the melted butter, mix
together. Mix everything together with the chopped apple. Share the mix in cupcake
moulds and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
To decorate the cupcake, mix the icing sugar with softened butter and add a little
calvados. Put this mixture in a piping bag. When the cupcakes are cool, turn them out of
the mould and pipe the icing sugar mix. Serve with a glass of calvados.

What's new for
France in Summer 2018
A round up of some of the thrilling, fun and fabulous events on this summer from the
north to the south...
The National Sea centre of France on the Opal Coast at Boulogne-sur-Mer opened a
brand new state-of-the-art extension in spring 2018 which has made it one of the largest
aquariums in the world - and it is spectacular.
Giant tanks fill the new space and we mean giant... the biggest contains 10,000 m3 of
water! You’ll often spot divers in the tank cleaning the copious amount of glass while
sharks, sea lions and fish of all sorts swim close by. With clever and innovative exhibits
you get a real feel for what life is like under the ocean. With an astounding 58,000
creatures and 1,600 different species from sea lions and penguins to sharks (12 different
types), cayman and every kind of fish - you'll discover a truly fascinating and awesome
watery world where you can even get up close and personal with a huge touch pool!
If you’re travelling to or from Calais or Dunkirk, stop off and go see this awesome new
aquarium, it’s fascinating for the whole family from the littlest kids to nana and grandad.
And there's plenty to do in the town too!
www.nausicaa.co.uk

Nimes Musée de la Romanite opens
Facing the 2000-year-old amphitheatre of Nimes,
a brand-new museum of Roman History, Musée
de la Romanité opened in June. Through
innovative scenography and rich archaeological
collections, you’ll discover the fascinating Gallo-
Roman period of the area. This incredible new
cultural venue will also house a brilliant book
store, captivating café and restaurant opened by
Michelin-starred chef Franck Putelat. There’s also
an archaeological and Mediterranean garden of
3,500 m² and there's a green roof terrace with a
panoramic view over the city. This brand-new
Museum of Roman History is going to be one of
the top attractions for visitors to Nimes.
The inaugural exhibition of the museum until
September 24, 2018, is dedicated to Gladiators,
the heroes of the coliseum.
More on the Museum of Roman History
Website Musee de la Romanite
ROOTSTOCK Burgundy 13-15 July 2018
Set in a 17th century winery in Burgundy, the Rootstock festival at the Chateau De
Pommard will feature a roster of chart-topping international acts, including British band
Jungle, Canadian group Soul Jazz Orchestra, Swiss band Le Roi Angus, and Nigerianborn
guitarist Keziah Jones. This international line-up will be completed with the French
pop electro group Isaac Delusion and a special Bastille Day DJ set of the unmissable
Breakbot. Forget muddy wellies and fields – this French festival involves the best
international music, fine wine and food, and you can also practice yoga and relax in
capable hands at a number of free spa and beauty workshops.
chateaudepommard.com

Lake Annecy to host Europe’s biggest fireworks show!
On Saturday 4 August, Annecy will host one of the biggest fireworks shows in Europe.
The 70-minute themed show will tell the story of two travellers using fireworks, music,
light, lasers, fountains and fire engines. Lake Annecy is internationally renowned for its
beautiful landscape and for the fantastic water quality which, thanks to the efforts
made to protect it for over 50 years, is now the purest in Europe. It hosts many sports
and has 11 supervised beaches for swimming. Annecy is just south of Lake Geneva near
the resorts of Annecy Mountains including Le Grand Bornand and La Clusaz.
en.lac-annecy.com
La Piscine Roubaix, Lille
Fabulous Art Deco swimming pool turned art gallery at Roubaix, Lille, is closed for
renovation until October 20, 2018 when it will reopen with 5 great exhibitions including
Picasso's Man with a sheep. Find out more at: www.roubaix-lapiscine.com

Ateliers lumieres Paris
Photo credit: La Secession a Vienne/Culture Spaces
You don’t have to be an art buff to fall in love with Paris’s latest
cultural venue... located in a former iron foundry which has been
converted to a magnificent art gallery with a difference. Retaining
the building'd huge walls and industrial looks has provided the
perfect backdrop for giant projections of artworks which flow,
move to music and feel as though they envelop you into the heart
of a painting.
Details of the current exhibition and what’s next
www.atelier-lumieres.com
Photo credit: Jean-Marie Charlot
Sedan, Ardennes is hot spot superstar
Sedan falls under the spotlight during the filming of a new BBC adaption of Les Misérables
- a non-musical, true to Victor Hugo's book. With an all star cast including Lily Collins,
Dominic West and David Olewayo and Sedan whose historic centre looks like 19th century
Paris. There's no air date yet but we reckon it's going to be brilliant. More on Sedan

La Boumette, Paris
From 22 June to the end of September, the
Opera restaurant at the foot of the Opera
Garnier turns into a night club at mignight with
DJ, dancing and music until the early hours of
the morning. If you fancy something a little less
energetic, from 22h enjoy a cocktail at the
Cointreau bar on the hidden terrace.
1 place Jacques Rouché.
https://www.facebook.com/laboumette
Night time zoo visits
Every Thursday during June
through to 9th August 2018, the
Paris Zoo will remain open late to
offer visitors a unique experience.
Watch the animals nibble their
night time treats and enjoy your
own night owl night out with
snacks, drinks and dancing. On
July 5 there will a “silent zoo” night
when participants will wear
earphones and dance to the beat
without any disturbance to the
animals.
Join in at Apero’Zoo with Happy
Hour from 7.00 – 8.30 (half price
drinks menu), drinks served until
1am
www.parczoologiquedeparis.com

in Grenoble
and Vienne
How to spend a long weekend in Grenoble and Vienne. Two cities which dance to
a very different rhythm but make the perfect weekend escape says Lucy Pitts as
she explores the vibrant alpine cities...

The best place to start exploring is from the
18th century Bastille which watches over
the city from across the River Isère, 500
metres above. It’s a popular challenge for
runners and you can walk, run or catch the
iconic baubles of the 1920s cable car up to
the top.
The Bastille is the gateway to endless hiking
and mountain trails, but it also has zip lines,
a museum and a café. Most importantly
however, it provides you with a unique
aerial map of the city and a chance to eat at
the Chez le Pèr’Gras restaurant which
quietly presides over the view.
The Bohemian chic of
Championnet
The district of Championnet outside the
historic centre has a village atmosphere and
a touch of bohemia. Here you’ll find clusters
of designers, unusual boutiques, art
galleries and workshops.
Tucked away in the Isère department of the
Auvergne Rhône Alpes region in the south
east of France, Grenoble bustles. It’s got a
cosmopolitan feel but also a sense of calm
probably due to the composed presence of
the Pre-Alpes that completely surround it.
But if you tend to only associate Grenoble
with winter sports, then think again.
Getting your bearings from
above
Although Grenoble has a modern feel, it has
a history that dates back to the Romans
which results in a blend of architecture and
styles.
As you’d expect, the Grenoblois value their
high-quality produce, and local specialities
include the Grenoble walnut, the Chartreuse
liqueur and of course cheese, from the soft
blue Vercors -Sassenage to the nutty Le
Comte.
In Rue de Strausbourg, to the east of the
Hoche district, you’ll find victuallers in
abundance, including cheese specialist
Bernard Mure-Ravaud, a big personality
with a large moustache, a world champion
cheesemonger and voted France’s top
“tradesman” 2007.
He’s one of the driving forces behind the
annual Descent des Alpages in October. It's
an event which celebrates the return of the
local cattle from their summer alpine
grazing. There's a a parade of cows through
the streets of Grenoble and a showcasing of
local produce with hundreds of street stalls
and displays.

Make time for the arts
Grenoble has a rich artistic heritage which
caters for most tastes. The Musée de
Grenoble houses one of the most
prestigious and diverse collections in France
with 13th century masters to works by
Matisse, Picasso and Gauguin.
And as an acknowledgment of its vibrant
and youthful soul, the city also embraces
street art, with 86 recognised works on the
walls of the newer districts. Discover these
for yourself with the help of a map from the
tourist office or visit during the Street Art
Fest which takes place throughout June and
includes workshops and exhibitions.
is a good place to buy the gourmand and
there are plenty of open air bars and
restaurants that fill the central Place St
André with its grand fountain and stunning
Renaissance style parliamentary buildings.
Recommendations for places to eat include
The Café de la Table Ronde (the second
oldest café in France) and L’Epicurien in the
Place aux Herbes.
Unwind in the historic city
centre
Of course, you have to find time to meander
the streets of the historic centre and explore
the markets. The Marché Place aux Herbes

Photo: Diane Francis Cook
Follow the Romans to Vienne
An hour’s drive from Grenoble Vienne sits
on the banks of the Rhône Just south of
Lyon.
The tourist office even organises cookery
workshops during which you’ll shop for local
ingredients with your chef in the market and
then prepare a meal.
It was an important Roman settlement which
means 16th and 17th century half timbered
houses jockey for position with Roman walls
and remains. Narrow cobbled streets
reminiscent of Lyon give way to a startingly
beautiful Roman Temple surrounded by
bars and cafés.
Photo: Patrick Ageneau, Vienne Tourism
The town is home to an impressive tourist
office next to the Rhône. They offer a range
of tours which include a €7 tram ride up to
Mont Pipet which has views over the town
and the Roman amphitheatre.
Amongst other options, you can also opt for
a “circuit gourmand” which is a tour and
tasting of local products or a sunset tour on
a wooden barge with a glass of wine.

Dusk over Vienne, photo: Henry Landeau, Vienne Tourism

Throughout the year the city is also home to
the second largest market in France with
some 400 stalls and in October Vienne hosts
a honey fair. Or you can head to the
surrounding hills to try some of the 120
different jams made by one of France’s finest
producers Philippe Bruneton, a 20-minute
drive away.
Vienne and Grenoble both offer culture, the
arts, fine architecture, gourmand cuisine and
outdoor activities. Isère has a rich landscape
with both a hint of Provence and Savoie and
a warm and welcoming climate.
From the grandeur of the Rhône to the calm
and serenity of the silent Pre-Alpes, this is a
region that indulges the soul.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
A taste of the region’s wines
For lovers of the grape, there’s a wall of
wine in the tourist office which maps the
region’s winemakers and the wines of the
local Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu regions and
helps you plan any tastings.
That done, explore some of the local
vineyards such as the extraordinarily
romantic family-owned Domaine Corps de
Loup which lay abandoned for 50 years.
With ramshackled 18th century charm, it
clings to the hillside in amongst the trees
just 10 minutes outside Vienne.
Jazz and jam
During the first two weeks of July, Vienne is
home to a remarkable jazz festival. With
open air concerts, a main performance in
the candlelit amphitheatre, this year’s artists
include none other than Gregory Porter, Jeff
Beck and Earth Wind and Fire! Read more
about Vienne's Jazz festival here
Vienne and Grenoble are both about 40
minutes from Grenoble airport by car.
Ryanair flights from London Stansted to
Grenoble Airport start from £9.99 one way
and run from until the 27 October 2018
www.ryanair.com
A 2-night stay at the 4* Mercure Grenoble
Center Alpotel, is priced from €89 with
breakfast based on two sharing.
A 2-night stay at the 3* Ibis Saint-Louis
hotel Place Saint-Louis in Vienne, is priced
from €100 with breakfast based on two
sharing.
Car hire is available from Grenoble airport
with Hertz www.hertz.com and starts from
37€/day.
For more help planning your trip contact the
tourist offices at www.grenoble-tourisme.
com or in Vienne at www.vienne-condrieu.
com

The Abbey de Senanque,
Provence

Visiting the 12th century
Abbaye Notre-Dame de
Sénanque in May before its
renowned lavender fields
had burst into vibrant
bloom, Martha McCormick
discovered equal beauty in
its austere Romanesque
interior.
Located near Gordes in Provence, the
abbey is occupied by a community of
Cistercian monks. The Roman Catholic
Cistercian Order grew from a late 11th
century reform movement started by monks
who wished to return to the pure traditions of
monastic life practiced in Saint Benedict’s
time.
Following the strictures of Cistercian design,
the abbey lacks decorations such as
frescoes, sculptures, or stained glass
windows with Biblical illustrations.
According to the early founders, these
ornamentations were meant for lay people
who had little access to the Bible.
Decoration brought them closer to God. For
the devout monks, however, such
embellishment was unnecessary and would
distract them from prayer. Thus, the
decorative elements allowed are those of
the architecture itself: vaults, arches,
stairways, transepts, capitals and columns.
These were constructed using the finest
methods because the Cistercian monks
highly valued craftsmanship. Stonecutters
were particularly prized, and each initialed
the stones they cut as a matter of pride.
One might think this austerity creates a
rather drab place. But instead, the austere
décor heightens the beauty of the pale gray
stone and the purity of line.
Added to this is the welcoming of light: la
vrai Lumière—the true light—a symbol of
God.
According to an early founder, Saint
Bernard: “…shadow and darkness shall
disappear and the splendor of the true Light
will invade the whole space…”

Far left: For the monks, the cloister is a symbol of “Paradise
regained.” It stands at the heart of the monastery. Here
monks find a natural spot for silent prayer and meditation.
Above: The play of light and the simplicity of architectural
structure create serene beauty.
The Abbey of Senanque today
At its peak in the 13th and 14th centuries,
Sénanque abbey owned extensive
properties all over Provence, including four
water mills, seven granges, and four or five
hospices, in addition to fields, forests and
pastures. Troubled times followed when the
abbey was partly destroyed during the War
of Religions in the 16th century, and later
was sold off as state property after the
Revolution.
In 1854, it was purchased and restored by a
community of monks, who were later
expelled. The current community dates
back to 1988.
Today, the monks still follow the precepts of
Cistercian monastic life: liturgical prayer
sung in church; silent reading, meditation
and prayer; and manual and intellectual
work. The brothers work in agriculture
(lavender, honey, and forestry) and tourism
(guided tours, bookshop, and building
restoration.)
The shop is very much worth a visit, offering
the monks’ honey and lavender products, a
wide selection of religious and historical
books, and many other gifts.

Tours of the abbey are offered year-round,
but hours vary - check the website for
specific times. Individuals who wish to tour
the abbey without a guide are admitted in
the morning.
One-hour guided group tours are offered in
French throughout the day. When I joined
a guided tour, I let the guide know that my
French was not great. She kindly spoke
more slowly and enunciated clearly,
allowing me to understand much of what
she said.
If you are lucky enough to visit the Abbaye
de Sénanque when the lavender fields
bloom - between late June and early-
August - the colors of the blue sky, pale
gray stone, green leaves, and purple
flowers are guaranteed to enchant.
There is no better place to enjoy the
lavender fields of Provence.
But do take time to step inside the abbey to
view another world—one of silence,
monochromatic splendor, and the presence
of la vrai Lumière.
(www.senanque.fr)
Click here to read
about the best places
to see the lavender in
Provence and how to
avoid the crowds

20 Things to
do in Toulouse
We're out to tempt you - culture, food, wine
and more, the sunny city has loads to keep you
fully entertained!

1 Place du Capitole
The Place du Capitole is the beating heart of Toulouse. Located in this immense square is
a magnificent building, remarkable for its façade with eight pink marble columns which
houses the town hall and the opera house. Pop in and ogle at the Salle des Illustres with its
spectacular 19th century paintings on the ceiling and walls, as well as the magnificent
historical rooms of painters Jean-Paul Laurens, Henri Martin and Paul Gervais.
2
Cité de l'Espace
Channel your inner spaceman and try your
hand, or rather your feet, at moon walking
in a moon gravity simulator at this
fascinating Space City adventure park
which spans an incredible 5 hectares.
Gaze at the stars, climb a full-size rocket
and much more in Europe’s premier
astronomy and space science culture
centre.
Photo © Cite de l’Espace
In the summer each Thursday evening,
listen to the fireworks pop at Cité de
l’Espace, right next to the Ariane 5 rocket.
The late-night opening also allows visitors
to star gaze through telescopes in the
park.
www.cite-espace.com

3 Reach for the sky
Visit the Aeroscopia museum where you’ll discover a unique collection of more than 30
legendary planes, including two Concordes, a Super Guppy and the A400M. Toulouse is
the birthplace of global civil and military aviation, and Aeroscopia perfectly represents its
rich aviation heritage. This summer there’s an exhibition dedicated to the evergreen Tintin
www.musee-aeroscopia.fr/en
4 Walk the Walk
Get in touch with Toulouse’s secrets and take
a walking tour with the tourist office to discover
the city’s hidden art and architectural gems.
Cross the Pont Neuf and discover the
cosmopolitan district of Saint-Cyprien, a
vibrant district where you’ll find the Passerelle
Viguerie, a 140m long walkway above the
water alongside the Hopital de la Grave, you’ll
get goose bumps at the views over Toulouse.
There are plenty of little restaurants with a
Bohemian ambiance, a covered market and
popular bars.
The buzz of the town centre is a constant
reminder of the exuberant life of Toulouse.
Weave your way through narrow cobblestone
streets and small squares to discover the
Saint-Étienne quarter, brimming with secret
and quirky charms.
Toulouse tourist office organizes an English
language city tour “Great monuments of
Toulouse” every Saturday afternoon.
5 Meet & Greet
Be bowled over by the Greeters tales as
they take you on a tour of the city. There
are 31 volunteers in Toulouse most of
whom speak English and they love to
share their knowledge of Toulouse in this
not for profit service.
toulousegreeters.fr

6
See the sites
Photo © Toulouse Tourisme
In the city take a tour to discover 2000
years of history. Go by Segway, petit
train, tram, open top mini bus, on foot,
by bike or metro and discover the iconic
monuments and beautiful coloured
buildings that give the city its name “la
ville rose”. There are numerous
fabulous sites such as the ancient
Jacobins Convent, the beautiful Saint-
Sernin Basilica which has been lavishly
renovated revealing the full glory of its
medieval frescoes and murals, plus the
Hôtel d’Assézat a magnificent 17th
century town house which houses the
Fondation Bemberg a private museum
of paintings and objets d’art.
Though known as the pink city,
Toulouse offers many colours and it’s
the perfect starting point for a cycling
tour along the banks of the blue water
of the city’s river and canal. Bikes and
tandems can be rented at La Maison du
vélo, located on the banks of the Canal
du Midi.
Pick up a “Pass de Tourism” at the
tourist office to use public transport and
get entry to a whopping 55 attractions.
7The 240km long Canal du Midi was built under
the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King, and flows
from Sète to Toulouse. It was listed as a World
Heritage Site in 1996. Make the most of the
sunshine with a relaxing boat trip on the River
Garonne or the Canal du Midi or take a bike ride
alongside the water, the feel good factor is
guaranteed...
8
Sparkling and cool
Flea market fun
Browse at the monthly flea market on the first
weekend of every month, from Friday to Sunday.
Visit the daily book and flower markets for local
colour and culture.
9
Summer in the city
Toulouse plages, the city beaches will be set in
several locations this summer: the prairie des
filtres, the port viguerie (recently renovated) with
a Ferris Wheel and the Espace bazacle…

10
Lip-smacking Cassoulet
Photo © CRTMP D Viet
The spicy, meaty, unctuous and utterly
mouth-watering stew with haricot beans
is one of the most famous specialities of
the region and there are plenty of
restaurants dishing it up. With a lovely
sunny climate, eating outdoors is the
order of the day. In the city of Toulouse,
the cassoulet boasts Toulouse
sausage, another regional speciality,
and you’ll find plenty of tree lined
elegant squares, like Place St Pierre,
where you can sit and enjoy watching
the world go by and revel in the luxury
of al fresco dining late into the night.
11
Open air markets
Photo © Toulouse Tourism Marche de Saint Aubin
There’s loads of choice for a spot of mooching at a market in Toulouse. One of the best is
the atmospheric more than 100 year old Victor Hugo covered market, with its 100-plus
active stalls – a great place for foodies to discover the local cheeses, charcuterie, wines,
herbs and the freshest fruit and veg.
On a Sunday morning don't miss the picturesque marché held around the church Eglise St
Aubin, it's a "bobo" (bohemian bourgeois) style affair with clothes, flowers, spices and
great produce on offer - it’s like a village within a village.

12 Gourmet city 13 Bake my day
With 9 Michelin-starred restaurants in
Toulouse metropolis and +1,700 places to
eat, the city is one of the country’s best
served in terms of restaurants.
Toulouse A Table 5-8 September sees a
city wide festive feast take place -
irresistible
Details: www.toulouseatable.com
Try a local speciality cake - Le Fenetra, a
typical “gateau Toulousain” made from
candied lemons and almonds, one of the
best-kept secret recipes of the Occitanie
region. You’ll find it in specialist bakeries
and the Salon de Thé in Toulouse.
14
Victor-Hugo
market
A show-stopper market and a place
of tempting aromas. Head to the first
floor of this 100 year old market
where you’ll discover a fabulous
bistro called L'Impériale – impossible
to not be intoxicated by the delicious
smells of the freshly cooked food,
their cassoulet is divine!
Photo copyright Jane Gifford
Pastel
15
products
Used for dyeing and as a medicinal
plant since antiquity, Isatis Tinctoria
was cultivated in the Lauragais,
between Toulouse, Albi and
Carcassonne. Its blue pigment was
exported throughout Europe and
used as a dye for textiles. Having
earned a fortune, the pastel
merchants had sumptuous private
mansions built in Toulouse. Visit
Terre de Pastel, an unusual complex
that combines, museum-spaboutique-restaurant
showcasing the
plant.

16
Jardin des plantes
The beautiful botanical gardens are a perfect place to chill out and smell the roses and
other flowers right next to the Museum of Toulouse. You’ll find the museum mascots, the
colourful peacocks, preening and primping, and if you’re lucky you’ll even spot a baby one!
It’s also a great place for a snack at Le Moaï café (and there’s free WiFi here too).
17 Flower power
Violets are the flower of Toulouse. The
little purple petals have been cultivated
here since 1854 and this species is a
cousin of the fragrant Parma violet.
They’re an important part of the heritage
of Toulouse and you can enjoy the scent
and discover the history of the violet at
the Maison de la Violette barge which is
moored on the Canal du Midi in the city.
Each February there’s a grand fete to
celebrate the violet at the spectacular
Place du Capitole.
Photo copyright Jane Gifford

1-
Festivals
There are more than 1000 events
annually in Toulouse, summer soirees
are often very lively and the “fiesta” is
popular. Don’t miss the Les Siestes
Electroniques (June-July) and Toulouse
d’Eté (July-August).
The unique Festival Toulouse les
Orgues is held each October and
features one of the best collections of
organs in Europe. Additionally, in 2018,
concerts of 30 minutes will be played at
6pm from Wednesday to Saturday and
at 3pm on Sundays, 18-29 July in
Saint-Sernin basilica.
1-
Musical Magic
On Thursday at midday listen to free
concerts. The eclectic programme
attracts a crowd of admiring spectators
in the municipal hall of the Sénéchal in
winter and in the courtyard of the Ostal
d’Occitania when the weather is fine.

20
Monster madness
Toulouse will celebrate its role as European capital of space and aeronautics with a new
venue to represent the Aeropostale (airmail) adventure and the first pilots who were brave
enough to travel by plane. La Piste des Géants (Trail of Giants) will feature a dedicated
garden to transport you across the Aeropostale line (opens June 2017). There will also be
a museum dedicated to the aviation pioneers, and La Halle la Machine with more than 100
mechanical creatures built by François Delarozière (end 2018). November 1-4 Toulouse
will host the world premiere show of “The Guardian of the Temple”, created by François
Delaroziere and the French theatre production company La Machine. For an hour each
day, a giant minotaur will walk through the city centre to celebrate of the opening of “La
Piste des Géants”.
Details and lots more information: Toulouse Tourism

The best
markets in
France -
its official!

Everyone loves a French street market - from the visitors who flock to France to
experience the good life to the locals who shop at their favourite each week. There are
markets in almost every town and village or at least there will be one nearby. From the
grand street marché s, to covered markets, called Les Halles, to the authentic street
markets of Paris and in tiny villages where there may be only a few stalls, everyone has
their favourite. This year in France, a contest aimed to discover – which is the most loved
market of the French? The “Votre Plus Beau Marche” competition run by TV channel TF1
was hugely popular with voters. 25 contenders went through to the finals and when voting
ended in May 2018 there was a clear winner – lovely Sanary-sur-Mer in the Var
Department, Provence-Alpes-Cote-D’Azur.
We look at the winner and the contenders…
Sanary-sur-mer Market Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
The colour, scents, sounds and flavours of
this vibrant market on the edge of the
Mediterranean Sea make it a real stand out,
happy place to be. The town is located in
the heart of Provence, between Marseille
and Toulon and its wiggly streets are filled
with beautiful buildings. At the friendly
market you’ll find around 300 stalls. Honey,
olive oil, wine, cheese, spices, fruit and veg
plus of course the freshest sea food are on
offer. And you’ll find colourful baskets,
flowers, pottery and table cloths. Wander
under the shady plane trees along the
Allées Estienne d'Orves and soak up the
ambiance.
It gets busy in the summer months and will
probably be even more so now that it’s been
recognised as France’s favourite market, so
get there early to avoid the crowds and if
you need a parking space, have more
chance of finding one (there’s plenty of paid
parking).
Pick up ingredients for a fabulous French
picnic and head to the local beach afterwards
to enjoy it while watching the world go
by.
Market day: Wednesday 08h-13h
www.sanarysurmer.com/

Colmar Market
Colmar, Alsace
The market in the town of Colmar has been
going for more than 150 years. In days gone
by market gardeners would arrive by boat
with their wares using the canals that cross
Colmar giving it the nickname Little Venice.
The lovely old city of half-timbered houses
looks like a scene out of fairy tale and it’s the
perfect location for a spot of shopping.
Expect to see plenty of local specialities at
the market from pretzels to sauerkraut.
Covered market daily except Monday;
Wednesday street market, Quartier Est
Quai du Roi, Orleans
A lively food only market held on the banks
of the Loire River. Local produce including
mushrooms, wine and cheese - delicious!
Saturday 07.30-12.30
Belfort Market Franche-Comté
Located on Rue Dr Frery this foodie covered
market is held in a spacious 100 year old
building with huge arched windows in an
Eiffel-like metal structure. Foodie perfection.
Wednesday 07h-12h
Amboise, Loire Valley
A short walk from the city centre, this large
market is one of the most popular in the
region and is a former favorite market.
Sunday and Friday mornings
Cahors Market Midi-Pyrenees
A 700 year-old market at the foot of a
UNESCO World heritage site, the
magnificent Saint-Etienne cathedral,
fabulous local produce make this a
superstar.
Wednesday and Saturday mornings

Uzès market Languedoc-Roussillon
In the centre of town, in the enchanting Place
aux Herbes the market oozes charm.
Spectacularly tasty and oh-so pretty...
Wednesday and Saturday mornings
Chatillon-sur-Chalaronne,Rhone-
Alpes
Great atmosphere, fabulous food in a
stunning building that has inspired painters
to capture its vibrant good looks. A must see
in the area.
Saturday morning
L'Île-Rousse Market Corsica
Housed in an almost two centuries old
building, a classified historic monument,
small but the food is outstanding.
Daily
Puy-en-Velay Auvergne
The market has taken place since the 15th
century in the elegant squares of this town.
Delectable dairy and scrumptious produce.
Wednesday and Saturday mornings
Nancy Market Lorraine
A lovely covered market which has been
open since 1848 on the site of a market held
since the 15th century. Superb produce.
Tuesday to Saturday 7h-19h
Versailles Market, Ile de France
Feast like a king at this fabulous and vibrant
market. It's so worth the trip if you're in the
area.
Tuesday, Friday and Sunday from 7h to 14h;
indoor covered market daily except Monday.

Royan Market Poitou-Charentes
Held in a dramatic 1950s building - excellent
produce. Came second in the contest!
Daily 7h-13h
Issigeac Market Dordogne
Colourful market in a beautiful location and
a major attraction in the area.
Sunday morning
Arras Market Nord Pas de Calais
At the foot of France's favourite monument,
the Belfry of Arras, is a grand market on the
Places des Heroes, where it's been held
since the Middle Ages. It spreads into
surrounding streets and is a busy, bustling
affair with all things foodie, clothes and
household goods.
Wednesday and Saturday mornings
Vannes Market Brittany
Held in the historic centre, it has a great
atmosphere. Mainly food and clothes.
Wednesday and Saturday mornings
Brive-la-Gaillarde Limousin
In the historic centre the weekly market is an
institution for the locals and a must see for
visitors. Great local produce, friendly and
authentic. With more than 300 stalls, its a
grand market and one you won't leave
empty handed - far too much temptation.
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday morning
Troyes Market Champagne-Ardenne
Covered market selling scrumptious
cheeses, bread and more.
Daily

Dieppe, Normandy
A large friendly, bustling market with around
200 exhibitors, superb shopping for local
specialities from cider to fish.
Saturday morning
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme Picardie
With stalls laid out alongside the quay and
fabulous views over the Somme Bay, this
authentic, charming market is simply lovely.
Sunday Morning
Toucy Market Burgundy
There's been a market in Toucy since the
Middle Ages. It's held in the streets
whatever the weather and it's THE place to
go for the freshest veg and artisan products
like cheese and bread.
Saturday Morning
Nantes market Pays de la Loire
Talensac indoor market, almost 100 years
old, is the only covered market market in
Nantes, located in the Hauts-Pavés, Saint-
Félix district. One of the best known and
most popular markets in the department.
Daily except Monday 07h - 13.30h
Saint Lo Market, Normandy
A very popular market, lots of lush local
products and a real winner in terms of fun,
friendliness and fabulous food.
Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and
Saturdays on place Général de Gaulle

Photo © P Vincent ND Lourdes

Lourdes
The French Capital of Miracles...
Kevin Pilley visits the famous pilgimage site...

Photo © Studio GP Photos
The giant candles kept on arriving. The
wheelchairs stacked up along the banks of
the Gave river. Nuns and nurses kissed the
ground. The queues for the baths
lengthened.
A hunched-up old lady in a black shawl
whispered to the wall, petitioning the
rockface. “In your heart I place all my
anguish and it is there that I gain strength
and courage.”
Pushed towards the famous Massabeille
grotto a frail hollow-cheeked man in a bathchair,
a rug over his knees, reading from a
small book muttered “Mary you showed
yourself to Bernadette in the crevice of the
rock in the cold and grey of winter. You are
the Immaculate Conception. Come to aid
the sinners that we are. Guide us to the
source of true life. Teach us to pray for all
people.”
Some of the faithful walked the steep
wooded 15-station “Way of the Cross” up on
the hill of Espelugues, above the
Sanctuaries. Others held their hands under
the stainless-steel taps and sluiced their
faces with holy water. Some were at prayer
in the underground basilica. Some fed the
ducks from the Bridge of Baths. Others sat in
deep contemplation on benches and chairs,
their eyes closed eyes listening to the
outside Mass.
Lourdes, also called Doors, in the Hautes-
Pyrenees department, 175km west of
Toulouse, has 15000 inhabitants but attracts
25000 visitors - every day. They come to see
a marble statue in a rock ledge in a cave and
to be welcomed by the out-stretched arms of
the Basilica Rosarie. 66 masses are said
each day in forty places of worship within the
51-hectare sacred complex. In France, only
Paris has more hotels than Lourdes. Charter
flights and trains bring in six million pilgrims
each year.
“Everyone is welcome and expected here
“ said a young Irish priest. He was holding a
two-metre high vigil candle. 750 tonnes of
candles are burnt every year at Lourdes.
There is a torchlight procession every night
at 9pm from April to October. Thousands
take part. “The candles represent God’s
presence. The flickering flame His
illuminating light. The white candles signify a
divine pillar of cloud.”

He smiled. “They are a test of faith as they
are very heavy”.
“The disabled, diseased and marginalized
are in the majority here“ said an English
pilgrim. He was carrying a 2-litre plastic jerry
can of complimentary cave water. “Pope
John Paul 11 said Lourdes is the place
where heaven and earth pursue a dialogue.
“Lourdes is a very special. It has been
blessed. Some come for adoration. Or
consolation. Or confession. To call for
intercession or renew their baptismal vows.
Or remember the Beatitudes. Others just to
observe. Hope and fraternity are palpable
here. Kindness too. You find yourself in a
sea of people devoted to the service of
others.”
160 years since the first
apparation at Lourdes
2018 sees the 160th anniversary of the first
apparition when on February 11th the Virgin
Mary appeared to fourteen-year-old
Bernadette Soubirous while she was
collecting firewood. Seventeen apparitions
of “Aquero” (the lady) followed until July
16th.
You can follow the “Jubilee Walk “and see
Bernadette’s birthplace and “le cachot” (or
dungeon) in the Rue Petits-Fosses where
she lived in poverty after her father lost his
mill business and cholera struck the town.
You can also visit the church where she
received her first Communion and the
nearby village of Bartres where she tended
sheep.
Bernadette described her apparition as 'uo
petito damizelo' ("a young girl"). At first, she
mistook it for a demonic apparition thinking it
a “revenant” or soul returning from
purgatory. The apparition did not speak until
the third appearance and in Occitan, the
local patois. It suggested she used a lighted
candle for protection. Thus the torchlight
procession. The small figure in the flowing
white robe and roses on her feet told
Bernadette to build chapels and kiss the
ground as penance. On her ninth visitation
she showed the shepherd girl a miraculous
spring.

Photo © Santuaries ND Lourdes P Vincent
Lourdes doesn’t have a local monopoly of
supernatural events. In Betharram near
Lourdes some shepherds saw a vision of a
ray of light which guided them to a statue of
the Virgin Mary. In the early sixteenth
century, a twelve-year-old shepherdess
named Angleze de Sagazan claimed a
vision near a spring at Garaison. Her story is
strikingly similar to that of Bernadette. Pious
but illiterate, she successfully convinced
authorities that her vision was genuine.
There are also several similarities between
the apparition at La Salette near Grenade,
predating Lourdes by eleven years.
Bernadette’s apparitions were not
recognized until 1862. The statue of Notre
Dame de Lourdes was installed in the
Massabeille (meaning old rock) grotto two
years later. Bernadette died in Nevers
convent in 1879 and was canonized in 1933.
Her body was exhumed three times and
found to be “incorrupt”.
but only 70 recognized by the Lourdes
Medical Bureau, a group of theologians and
doctors charged with investigating claims.
Meanwhile, as I stood watching, thousands
continued to process. Three boy scouts
carried a 1.5-metre-long candle. A voice
intoned ”Saloe, Regina; mater misericordia,
vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, saloe”. Another
beside me whispered “Ave Maria Gratia
plena Dominus tecum Virgo serena”.
Then, as the processions of pilgrims moved
another few yards: “O Mary our mother we
come to this place where you who are
sinless appeared full of grace.”
A teenage boy processing a handicapped girl
told me “You learn a lot from coming to
Lourdes. One hundred countries are
represented here every day. It’s a
transfiguring place. You can’t help be moved
and touched. Whatever your beliefs you feel
belief. “
There have been over 7000 claimed “cures”

Photo © Santuaires ND Lourdes
Photo Barbara Summers
Lourdes Tourist Office
The latest Miracle
The last miracle involving Sister
Bernadette Moriau happened in 2008 and
was recognized in 2013.
The nun was 69 years old when she
visited the shrine in Lourdes and attended
a blessing of the sick ceremony. She had
undergone several spinal operations
several decades before, had been
disabled since 1980 and was confined to
a wheelchair ,suffering great pain.
Photo Lizandra Lerm O'Kennedy
On returning to her convent in Beauvais
she prayed in the Chapel and felt a
feeling of well being and heard a voice tell
her to remove her braces. She was soon
walking and without pain. The Committee
of Lourdes declared that the changes
were inexplicable and a miracle.

Understated Luxury:
The Coco Chanel Suite,
the Ritz Paris
If money is no object, the Coco Chanel Suite in the Paris Ritz is a deliciously
luxurious stay. Barb Harmon visits the suite – but doesn’t stay overnight…
The Coco Chanel Suite
Coco Chanel once declared: "The Ritz is my
home." Although she had a luxurious
apartment above her shop across the street,
still there at 31 rue Cambon, she moved to
the Ritz in 1937 making suite No. 302 her
own. It remained her home until her death in
1971.
In her honour the room was renamed The
Coco Chanel Suite and made available for
booking, to the delight of Chanel fans
worldwide.
In 2012, the hotel closed for an extensive
four-year renovation. While 80 percent of the
hotel's original items were refurbished, some
pieces were put in storage or auctioned.
Although none of Chanel’s personal items
were included, some furnishings from her
suite were, and they set record prices.
revamped Coco Chanel Suite
The Channel suite has been moved down a
floor (suite 202) to provide a better view of
Place Vendôme and its famous column. It’s a
stunning scene, one that inspired the
octagonal cap on Chanel’s first perfume,
Chanel No. 5.
Karl Lagerfeld, the enigmatic designer and
creative director of Chanel, collaborated with
the Ritz’s design team to recreate Chanel's
world, from fabrics to furniture and the whole
look of the space.

Step inside Chanel’s world
Enter through the softly swishing door of the
Suite and you step into a room that is
unmistakably Chanel. The colour palette is
black, white and shades of beige. At 188m
(2024ft ) the two-bedroom, two-bathroom
suite is larger than many homes. While
luxurious, the living room is comfortable and
is an idyllic spot to lounge with a glass of
wine or sip a cup of coffee, soaking up the
ambience. In front of the ornate fireplace is
a comfy suede sofa trimmed with brass nail
heads, a design based on Chanel's sofa
from her rue Cambon apartment. It’s a
spacious room with several seating and
designated work areas. The large windows
provide plenty of light.
An immense sparkling chandelier
showcases the decorative soaring ceiling.
Several small bookcases contain books on
Chanel as well as objets d' art. There are
sketches by Karl Lagerfeld in the entrance
and throughout the suite are never-seenbefore
archive photos of Chanel during her
time at the Ritz. It is in effect, a mini Chanel
museum.
The living room separates two spacious
bedrooms, the ultra-posh bedding begs you
to lie down for a quick afternoon nap. Here
you'll find Goossens gilt-framed mirrors,
more photos of Chanel, and the holy grail,
lacquered Coromandel screens gleaming
with a rich patina. Chanel started collecting
antique Coromandel screens during her
days with her English polo playing lover, Boy
Capel. She owned dozens.
The table lamps and sconces in the
bedrooms and throughout the suite were
inspired by Alberto Giacometti and Jean-
Michel Frank, contemporaries of Chanel.

While the designs are vintage, they are
modern in every sense. These two, like
Chanel, were ahead of the times.
Both bathrooms scream Chanel: sink faucet
handles are engraved with her name, deep
tubs are perfect for relaxing, there is plenty
of natural light. The vanity table stands
ready to hold your collection of Chanel
products. These are functional bathrooms,
they aren't fussy. The fluffy towels are a soft
peach, a signature of the Ritz Paris.
It’s not cheap to stay in this fabulous suite
but there are some truly special add-ons.
The rates range from €18000-€28000 for a
single night. This does however include
some great perks: a greeter at the door of
your plane and express fast-track
immigration procedures. Round trip
limousine airport transfers and flexible
check-in and check-out times are available.
You’ll also have unlimited access to the Ritz
Club (pool and fitness room with state-ofthe-art-equipment).
Chanel once said: "Luxury must be
comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury."
Chanel was right.
Ritz Paris
15 Place Vendôme
www.ritzparis.com

Spotlight on
Saint-Denis
Paris
Head to this district in the suburbs of Paris for its
incredible Basilica, last resting place of the Kings
and Queens of France. Janine Marsh explores...
Saint Denis is a suburb of Paris located
10km north of the city centre. This district
took its name from a Christian Martyr buried
there after being beheaded on nearby
Montmartre (circa 250 AD). It was said that
he carried his head to the site of the current
Basilica of Saint Denis indicating where he
wanted to be buried.His tomb became a
place of worship on which a chapel was built
and he is the patron Saint of France.
Saint Denis the district, is the last resting
place of many kings and queens of France,
buried in the enormous Cathedral Basilica of
Saint-Denis.

Culture Vulture
The Royal Basilica of Saint-Denis was the
world's first monumental masterpiece of
Gothic art. Work began on the main building
in 1122 thouth there was a church there
before. The royal necropolis houses the
tombs of 75 French kings and queens, and
63 princes and princesses through the
centuries.
It contains some incredible funerary
sculptures, many of them depicting the royal
likenesses, dating from the 12th to 16th
centuries. Inside the church is bathed in the
light of 12th and 19th century stained glass
windows. Hire an audio guide to learn the
incredible history of this enormous church.
The Museum of Art and History, housed in
an old Carmelite convent, has rich
collections reflecting the city's history. It also
has lovely gardens that are just perfect for
resting on a hot Paris day. Details: museesaint-denis.com
Where to Eat
In this suburban district there are plenty of
restaurants and traditional French
brasseries but it's an easy metro journey
into the centre of Paris for many more
options.
Locals love: Les Mets du Roy, a traditional
brasserie opposite the Basilica (4 rue de la
Boulangerie).
Have a snack: La La Bigoudène Café
serves pancakes and great coffee plus
snacks (11 Allée des 6 Chapelles).
Close by at Saint-Ouen (see Inside Track)
there are a plethora of quirky and charming
restaurants such as Le Bistrot Paul Bert (18
rue Paul Bert) which serves exceptionally
good food. The market streets are lined with
dozens of authentic and enchanting little
cafés like The Very Little Dining Room,
(Allee 3 Marche Serpette 110 rue des
Rosiers).

Best Bars
There are plenty of bars, and with a young
population, this district has an energetic air.
Not far away is the historic area of
Montmartre where you'll find even more
choice - though it is a tourist magnet night
and day. The area of Abesses is where the
locals head to for an evening of Paris
ambience.
Popular with the locals: L’Escargot for its
friendly ambience (6 Rue Gabriel Péri) and
also Le Khedive (3 Place Victor Hugo) by
the Basilica Saint-Denis.
Great atmosphere: Brasserie 3ème Mitemps
(which means 3rd half time!) (33 rue
Jules Rimet) right by the Stade de France).
Traditional: Le Basilica (2 rue de la
Boulangerie) opposite the Basilica of Saint-
Denis, there's a large terrace, perfect to sip
in the sun, often with music over lunch.
The Inside Track
The biggest, most famous and best flea
markets in France. The Marchés aux Puces
de Saint-Ouen have been going for almost
150 years and are one of the largest
markets for antiques and flea markets in the
world. Set in 7 hectares, with more than
2000 exhibitors and 14 different markets.
Hunt for a bargain or a one-off item from
antiques to classic luxury goods, restored
furniture, paintings, bronzes, tapestries,
mirrors, lamps and dishes and much more.
It's also a great place for bars, restaurants
and cafés in a unique atmosphere.
Metro: Garibaldi, line 13.
Saint Ouen Flea Market Paris
A walk in the park: From the station of St-
Denis you can walk along the canal (5.5km)
to Parc Villette, the largest urban cultural
park in Paris. There are lots of cafés to sit
and while away a few hours whilst the sun
plays on the surface of the water.

Locals love: The Abbesses district just a
few kilometres away. It has a villagey feel
despite being at the foot of Montmartre.
There are charming little squares, lots of
bars and a relaxed atmosphere.
Montmartre is very close to Saint Denis and
is a must-see on any Paris visit. Yes there
are throngs of tourists but there's a reason
for that. Escape the crowds at the lovely
Musée de Montmartre, (rue de Cortot) once
home to Auguste Renoir. An outstanding
exhibition of artwork by local artists
including Toulouse-Lautrec and Modigliani.
From the charming gardens you can peek
into the secret vineyards of Paris next door.
Take a Selfie
It has to be, the Basilica Saint-Denis.
Getting Around
Buy a Paris Transport Travel Card for
unlimited travel on the metro, RER (rail), bus
and tram networks in Paris and the suburbs.
A 1, 2, 3 or 5 day pass covering zones 1-5
(including Versailles) is great value and
saves you from queuing for tickets. Buy a
pass at stations and tourist offices. St Denis
is serviced by Metro line 13 and goes
directly to the Champs-Elysées and Les
Invalides from where you can pick up the
RER Line C to the Eiffel Tower.
How to Get There
Eurostar from London to Paris takes just
under 2 hours 16minutes from where it’s a
simple trip to Saint-Denis from Gare du Nord
by RER Line B

YOUR PHOTOS
Every weekend, we invite
you to share your photos
on Facebook - it's a great
way for everyone to see
"real" France and be
inspired by real travellers
snapping pics as they go.
Every week there are
utterly gorgeous photos
being shared and here we
showcase the most popular
of each month. Share your
favourite photos with us on
Facebook - the most "liked"
will appear in the next issue
of The Good Life France
Magazine...
APRIL
Rainy day in
Chateauneuf-en-Auxois,
Burgundy by Don
Knipler
May
The lovely town of Azay-Le-
Rideau, Loire, shimmering in
the rain...
Charles Johnston
Join us on Facebook
and like and share
your favourite photos
of France...

Lavender in Provence by Kim
Rusche Tulman (+8,000 likes
and shares!)
June
Click here to discover where to see the lavender in Provence

G i v e A
Click on the pic to
enter the draw
Win a copy of My Good Life in France by
Janine Marsh, editor of The Good Life
France!
On a grey and dismal February day, Janine Marsh went
on a day trip to France to buy wine for her dad. She
somehow ended up buying a bargain basement barn in
the middle of nowhere which was neither planned or
expected... It’s a love story and the tale of one woman’s
journey from city life to rural bliss – at least that was the
plan…
Click on the pic to
enter the draw
Win a copy of Le Selfie Gascon
by Perry Taylor
Le Selfie Gascon is Perry's third book of
humorous drawings from France. It’s a work
of wry wit and lots of fun from the artist who
takes inspiration from daily life in the south
of France. This is a lovely hardback book
with 86 original drawings that will make you
smile, your friends will want to borrow this
one and never return it!
Click on the pic to
enter the draw
Win a copy of Eight
Months in Provence by
Diane Covington-Carter
Win a copy of this book that's written
from the heart, a charming tale that's
easy to read. An inspiring "it's never
too late", feel good memoir that will
sweep you along on the author's
journey as she finds herself in the
France of her dreams. At the age of
50, American Diane rented out her
home and set off for an adventure in
France…
Read our review

w a y s - WIN
Click on the pic to
enter the draw
Win a copy of In the French
Kitchen with kids by Mardi
Michaels
Mardi shows that French food doesn’t have to
be complicated. The result is an elegant,
approachable cookbook featuring recipes
tailored for young chefs and their families.
From savory dishes like Omelettes, Croque-
Monsieurs or Steak Frites to sweet treats like
Profiteroles, Madeleines or Crème Brûlée,
readers will find many French classics here.
With helpful timetables to plan out baking
projects, as well as tips on how to get kids
involved in the cooking, this book breaks
down any preconceived notion that French
cuisine is too fancy or too difficult for kids to
master. With Mardi’s warm, empowering and
encouraging instructions, kids of all ages will
be begging to help out in the kitchen every
day of the week.
Win a copy of Riviera Dreaming
by Maureen Emerson
A fascinating book which explores the lives of
architect Barry Dierks and his lover Eric
Sawyer. They changed the face of the
French Riviera, developing an architecture
empire remodelling and building homes and
gardens for their star studded cliental
including film executive Jack Warner,
playwright Somerset Maugham and the rich
and famous of the early 20th century. Behind
those walls weredscandalous affairs,
exquisite parties, politicians letting loose and
royals partying. Winston Churchill, Bette
Davis, Wallis Simpson , Picasso , Lloyd
George, Duke of Windsor, J.P Morgan, The
Rothchilds and many more feature in this
well researched book that’s filled with
fabulous anecdotes.
Click on the pic to
enter the draw

A British snail farmer...
in France
A British expat in northern France set local tongues wagging when he set up a
snail farm, Janine Marsh investigates…
Location, location, location
Mike Collins went to France to study
languages and work for a large company.
Travelling round France, he loved
discovering new places and new tastes and
snails became a favourite, so he decided to
visit a snail farm sure that he’d find the
tastiest escargot there. He was disappointed
when he tried the great classic: snails in
garlic sauce. “No personality” is how he
describes the dish, he knew it could be so
much better.
Already unhappy in his corporate role, that
snail dish inspired Mike to dream of opening
a snail farm of his own and create the
tastiest recipes. He spent a couple of years
researching and studying, working out what
would be the ideal location and finally in
2008 he took the plunge, gave up his job
and started a snail farm in the village of
Râches, Nord, Hauts de France.
Mike’s two big requirements were for a large
garden which needed to be marshy. As
soon as he saw what is now his house, with
its big garden near the regional national
Park Scarpe-Escaut he knew it would be
perfect.
It’s a lush, gentle area of wetlands, two
major rivers, forests, picturesque villages
but close to the cities of Lille and Arras. The
house is on a main route “about 22,000 cars
pass by every day which I knew would be
great for trade” says Mike. “Plus this area is
like a cultural melting pot with Brits, Belgians
(we’re close to the border) Spanish, Flemish
and Dutch expats and visitors. People here
are open to innovation in cuisine”.
Setting up at a snail farm
Snails are a much-loved food in France
where more than 30,000 tons are consumed
annually though less than 5% are farmed in
France, most including the famous
“Burgundy snails”, come from eastern
Europe. But, when Mike told the local mayor
to tell him about his business proposal “he
thought I was crazy, but he was courteous
about it” recalls Mike. Undeterred, he told
the Mayor that he would set an ornamental
snail on the roundabout outside the farm
when his farm was successful. Go there
today, and you can’t miss the giant white
2.5m snail statue!

Mike created an enclosure for the snails,
what he calls a “park” in the back garden. It
didn't cost much financially to set up but he
invested a lot of time studying snail farming
and took courses and sat exams.
Only two species of snail are farmed in
France: small grey snails -petit-gris (helix
aspersa aspersa) and big grey snails - grosgris
(helix aspersa maxima). Mike decided
to go for the latter, “they’re meatier and
tastier” he says.
Snail farming starts at a “snails pace” says
Mike, starting with breeding. “Mating takes
hours, anything up to two days from start to
finish, tantric” he grins. When the tiny
babies are born in spring, Mike transfers
them carefully and slowly by hand to the
wooden posts in the enclosure. “There’s no
certainty in this game” he says, “I always
panic about them at this stage”. As they
grow the snails roam their park freely, Mike
stops them escaping “mostly” by rubbing
black soap, a natural repellent, along the
top of the fence that encloses the park.
Some farms use electric fences, but Mike’s
philosophy is about keeping things as
natural and ethical as possible.
He doesn’t use chemicals or pesticides but
grows plants the snails love such as
mustard which feeds the soil by absorbing
nitrogen from the air and transferring it to,
and improving, the soil, as well as providing
shelter from rain and sun. His dog Wanda
has been trained to work with ferrets to clear
out any unwanted visitors – scaring off birds
and rodents.

The snails take 150 days from egg to
maturity. “It’s a lot of work” he confesses, “I
doubt if I’ll ever get rich doing this, but I love
what I do, it’s my passion”.
but has help at busy times of the year from
students who gain valuable work experience
for planned careers in the catering and
restaurant industry.
The snails grow all through the summer and
are harvested in autumn. They are killed by
being dipped in boiling water, “it’s
immediate” says Mike. The meat is
separated from the shells and blanched,
then it’s rapidly chilled or goes into dishes
which are frozen “it’s the best way to retain
the nutritional value and the taste”. The
shells are scrupulously cleaned and used
for presentation.
“In theory, we can keep the meat for up to
18 months” says Mike “but that never
happens, we always sell everything well
before that”.
All the work at the farm is done by hand,
from harvesting to cleaning and preparation
of the dishes. Mike does everything himself

Mike is a walking encyclopaedia of snail facts and tells me that gastropods have been
consumed by man since the first days of humanity. Until the 14th century, says Mike,
there were some who thought that snails were in league with the devil “because they
had no legs and were close to the ground”. The Church forbad the eating of them and
they became the food of the poorest in France, along with frogs’ legs. When famine
struck, the church relented but insisted that the snail be “purged of its sins”. They
decided the way to do this was to make the snail “spit”, which was done by sprinkling
salt which causes the snail to create mucus, a defence mechanism.
Though a sustainable resource, it wasn’t until the early 20th century that farming snails
in France became automated and industrialised. The industry is now regulated,
farming of snails in certain months of the year is forbidden and in 1979 a law was
bought in to protect the species.
These days that snail spit has a high value – it’s used in medicine and predominantly in
cough mixture. There are just three ingredients in it says Mike, water, calcium and basic
animal molecule products.
“It’s not really slimy at all” he assures me and wipes a snail across the back of my hand
and tells me to rub my hands together. He’s right, my skin is left feeling peachy soft,
clean and dry - “it’s pure protein” Mike assures me. No wonder cosmetic companies are
investigating snail juice in the use of skin cream.
“Our ancestors would rub snails on wounds to heal themselves… and if you have a
cough, lick one” he urges and offers me a large snail which I decline as politely as
possible. He passes its undercarriage over his tongue and it immediately produces spit
“it’s really not that bad” he says. I’m not won over.

Success Snail farming
It didn’t take long for the locals to discover
that despite being British, Mike’s snail farm
is one of the best. “Yes, they did think it was
crazy that a Brit was growing one of the
most French things you could possibly get!”
he laughs “I think they came first for the
curiosity factor but now they come for the
taste”.
As a youngster, often relocating with his
soldier father, he loved spending time in
army kitchens and learned to cook. His
biggest success has been to develop “heat
and serve” snail dishes and now offers 29
different recipes ranging from the classic
classic snails in garlic butter that started him
on this route, to snail sausages, smoked
snails with goats’ cheese and fig, snails with
Roquefort and walnut butter in a wafer case
and his “tikka masala snails” and more. His
reputation and his clientele have grown and
the little shop at the farm has daily queues.
He also supplies restaurants and says he
was once “flabbergasted to find Chef Steven
Raymon of the Michelin star Rouge Barr
restaurant in Lille in my shop” The chef
bought 3000 snails! This British farmer
who’s changing the taste of snails in France
is “cook, farmer, recipe developer,
salesman, book keeper, negotiator and a
whole lot more… no two days are ever the
same and you have to expect the
unexpected”.
Details of the farm and shop address and
opening times: https://www.facebook.com/
escargotsfermiers/

Meet the Brits who run the best
Luxury B&B in France!
June 2005 was a difficult month for Peter Friend and his partner Mark. After a
change of jobs, relocation and redundancy they decided they didn’t want the sort of
stressful lives they were leading in marketing and business development for much
longer. Considering their skills, passion for travel, good food and wine, setting up
their own luxury B&B in France by the time were 40 was their goal. Peter Friend tells
how they went from their jobs in the UK to running the No. 1 luxury B&B in France…
Once we decided we were going to move to
France we devoted all our spare time to the
search for the ideal property and location.
Property pages of the Sunday papers were
read from top to bottom, scrolling through
endless internet sites until the early hours
became a new sport. It was, at times,
overwhelming – we had only been on
holiday to France a few times and,
admittedly, did not know the regions well.
We wanted to be in the south of France for
the weather and longer tourist season. We
wanted a medium sized town with good
amenities, open year-round, with lots to see
and do within an hour. The location had to
be well connected and accessible by road,
rail and air and not reliant on one airport
nor one airline. Finally, we did not want to
be in an area where there was too large an
expat community.
An essential requirement for us was that,
when the doors to our new business
opened, it had to be a viable business.
From research, we knew the maximum
number of rooms for a B&B in France was
five and so our search for a minimum of 6
bedrooms was key as was the ability to
have all of these rooms as ensuites. Added
to this, space for sizable dining room, guest
lounges, garden and kitchen were givens…
with space for a pool and to develop the
business further.
After much searching, we decided the Tarn
area would be perfect. We looked at several
properties and eventually the details for a
house in Mazamet seemed to be absolutely
perfect. Eight bedrooms, six of which were
already ensuite, a town with a population of
12,000 on the edge of a national park; six
airports within 2 hours serving many
European destinations and an abundance
of space. Add to this the fact

that it's close to several major tourist
destinations including fabulous
Carcassonne, Toulouse and Albi - it ticked
all our boxes.
Finding the dream home
As we drove over the Monts de Lacaune
from nearby Roquefort on July day, the
clouds began to clear, the temperatures
started to climb, and we descended into
the town of Mazamet – once famous for its
international wool trade. The azure blue
skies and the stunning Montagne Noire
providing a picture-perfect backdrop and,
as we were an hour early for our
rendezvous at the property, we made our
way into the centre ville. We stumbled
across an amazing chocolatier with a
queue out the door – which, being British,
we dutifully joined.
Mazamet felt right. There was a small
Sunday morning market selling the
essentials and a few bars where French
men sat on the terrace - sipping espressos
waiting for their wives to come out from
morning mass. What struck us was the
beautiful architecture of the buildings in the
centre of town which would not have
looked out of place along the boulevards of
a much larger, grander, town.
As we turned into rue Pasteur, there ‘she’
was – standing proud, the burgundy
coloured shutters shining in the summer
sun. The moment we set foot through the
front door we knew that No. 4, rue Pasteur,
Mazamet was meant to be ours.
We learnt that the property was built in
1934 by an accountant in Mazamet’s wool
industry. The owners explained that the
property needed to be re-wired but that was
the extent of the major works need (little
did we know then that it would take more
than three years to complete all the work!).

When it was time to head home to the UK,
we were about an hour into the journey
when we pulled off the autoroute to make
the call to the estate agent to make an
offer… by the time we had reached Calais
that evening, we had agreed on a price.
Sorting out the basics
We borrowed funds from a French bank
and endured what seemed like an endless
stream of paperwork by fax and email. We
used a specialist bilingual solicitor to assist
with the purchase (money well spent for
the peace of mind) .
We signed the “compromis du vent” in
September which also acted as a secondviewing.
We also met a local builder to talk
through our plans for renovating and an
electrician to obtain a ‘devis’ (quote) for the
re-wire.
Just before Christmas 2005, we returned to
Mazamet to sign the ‘act definitive’ (the
final part of the sale which ended with the
handing over the keys to 4 rue Pasteur.
As we returned to our new home and
entered the vast and empty property, the
reality soon sunk in and so began three
years of renovations; many sleepless
nights, a flood and a fire.
Meanwhile we continued to work in the UK
where we enrolled in evening school to
learn French.
By Easter 2009, the year we both
celebrated reaching 40, and after countless
trips to check on progress, we were made
the move to France permanent. By then
we’d made many friends with our
neighbours, French and English, and found
Mazamet a friendly, welcoming place.
Open for Business
We set up a website to promote our B&B
named La Villa de Mazamet and less than
a week later our first guests arrived.
We invited the Mayor and the local press to
an opening day. We printed flyers for local
businesses offering a favourable rate and
we encouraged every guest to leave us a
Trip Advisor review.

Peter’s top 5 tips for a successful
B&B in France
1. Location and accessibility to good
transport links cannot be under
estimated.
2. Get involved with your community,
local trades people, tourist office, etc.
from a very early stage so that they
engage with you and support your
business. Part of our ethos has always
been to make sure we support the
community in which we are based - for
every 1€ we spend on running the
business, 85 cents are spent in the town
of Mazamet (and don’t be afraid to shout
about that too, especially to your local
Mayor!).
Reservations started to trickle in and we
built up a good reputation as THE place to
stay in the area. Being so close to top ranked
destinations like Carcassonne, Toulouse and
Albi helps.
Running a B&B as a business (and as your
sole income) is hard work, with days starting
early and finishing late. Serving dinner as we
do for several nights a week significantly
adds to your workload.
La Villa de Mazamet has been a dream come
true for us. We love welcoming guests from
around the world and have met some truly
wonderful people, from all walks of life, who
have become friends. Guests will often say “if
you are come to xxxx city, you have a place to
stay”, they mean it and we have had some
wonderful holidays as a result from
Melbourne to Manchester.
2018 is our 10th anniversary season and we
are immensely proud that, today, La Villa de
Mazamet has been rated one of the top B&Bs
in France for eight consecutive years on Trip
Advisor, is included in Le Guide Michelin, the
Good Hotel Guide and the Sawdays’ guide.
www.villademazamet.com
3. Listen to your guests and ask for
feedback on their stay, your amenities
and facilities. Plough some of your profits
back in each year to make sure you not
only keep on top with the décor and
maintenance of your property but also
add to the guest experience – return
guests will always notice the smallest of
detail and love it when you have taken
their feedback on board.
4. Get your website and marketing plan
in place at least a year prior to opening
your doors Engage with guests via social
media and E-newsletters to help develop
return visits.
See your website as THE main
marketing tool and invest in professional
photography – this is a potential guest’s
first engagement with you and you need
to get in right
5. Work with other B&Bs locally and
regionally – don’t just see them as
competition as you can work with them
during busy periods or when you might
need them to take a loyal guest you can’t
accommodate.

Never mind a pretty
house, with specialist
hobby properties it's
all about the quality
of the grass or vines
says Liz Rowlinson...

HOBBY
HOMES
Vineyards
Many of us have a romantic notion of owning
some vines so we can produce our own wine
to bottle and share with friends and family.
It’s a trend that has grown internationally with
Chinese and American buyers dreaming of
having their own Grand Cru.
But buying a vineyard where the vines are
too young, too old, or not planted to the
correct density can turn your dream sour. It’s
essential you seek the advice of a specialist
vineyard agent. Leggett Immobillie's Xavier
Routurier comes from a vineyard-owning
family and advises buyers in his native
Bordeaux, Bergerac and Lot-et-Garonne
areas.
He says that the typical hobby vineyard is 1
to 2 hectares (15,000 bottles of wine a year),
with a nice house attached, and costs
€400,000 to €1,000,000. This compares with
a professional vineyard of 15 - 25 hectares
costing €1.5 - €3 million, depending on the
renovation and size of the chateau/house. Of
course prices will be lower outside the
internationally famous Bordeaux region. “The
biggest mistake buyers can make is to buy a
vineyard that doesn’t conform to the latest
regulations – and/or the quality of the vines
and terroir is poor. The peak age for vines is
around 20 years.”
Vineyard properties selection
€1,449,000 Bergerac, Dordogne
Charming and cosy vineyard in AOC
Pécharmant, 10.30 hectares. Near all
commodities. Details
€2,730,000 Commercial in Gironde
This beautiful château has been
transformed into a well run and profitable
wine business - 20 ha of AOC Bordeaux
vines. Details

Farms
With land prices currently very attractive in France, a steady
flow of UK farmers are heading to France to expand their
holdings. Whilst northern France is best for cereal growing,
Brittany is prime for pigs. Poitou-Charentes offers huge tracts
of maize and sunflowers, whereas the Limousin is famous for
its attractive rolling cattle and sheep grazing countryside.
Hobby farmers tend to own less than the 50-hectare plus professionals and it’s possible,
for example, to get a lovely house with 20-30 hectares of surrounding land for €300,000 in
the Haute-Vienne.
Farm property agent, Colin Appleyard, at Leggett Immobillier helps buyers to purchase the
right property particularly in the cattle and sheep grazing areas in the Limousin. He often
works closely with SAFER, the French land agency, to ensure a rapid installation
procedure and rapid access to all the subsidies that are available.
“Hobby farming is a growing trend, although in such cases, to be totally self sufficient,
owners would need a source of secondary income from gîtes, B&B, or indeed camping on
the farm” he says. Such properties are often available, providing a great opportunity for a
wonderful, peaceful lifestyle as well as self sufficiency.
245,000
530,000
4 bedroom farmhouse & numerous outbuildings
- all in excellent condition, Bussiere
Galant, Haute Vienne, Limousin. 3 hectares
of land previously run as a cattle & sheep
rearing farm. Ideal as a small holding, close
to amenites and 36km from Limoges airport.
Details
Working sheep farm in Le Dorat, Haute
Vienne Limousin. Organic status, 70
hectares land, 5 bedroom, renovated
house, swimming pool, 3 stone bards & a
tunnel barn. 50km from Limoges airport,
amenities close by.
Details
Click here to see a selection of working farms for sale in France

Equestrian
The cost of agricultural land averages around €10,000 per
hectare in France and the cost of upkeep of horses is lower
than in the UK. This is why Midi-Pyrénées and Poitou-
Charentes attract those seeking equestrian homes.
As with farming properties, location is all about the quality of
the grass. The far south can be hot in summer! The rule of
thumb is to buy a hectare per horse – double the amount
required in the UK. Whatever equestiran disclipline interests
you, you'll find properties to suit.
Prices range from around €200,000 for houses with land,
through to around €5 million for studs, liveries, competition or
racing yards and châteaux with hundreds of hectares.
Martin Sheach, Leggett's equestrian expert, says: “The typical
buyer who is moving over with their horses enquires initially
about the equestrian facilities. Then they ask about the
features and quality of the property.”
424,000
Beautiful 4 bedroom house in
Montaigu de Quercy, Tarn et
Garonne. Ideal for horse lovers
with equestrian facilities, gîte,
swimming pool, surrounded by
22 hectares, most fenced &
paddocked. Just outside a
busy village.
Details
3 Storey 5 bedroom country
house in Bossay Sur Claise,
Indre et Loire, Centre. 15
hectare estate with
swimming pool, gites, stables
for 21 horses, training track,
workshops, tennis court, spa
and kennels. Reduced from
€795,000
Details
630,700
For help and advice on buying a hobby
home email info@leggett.fr

Do you have to be wealthy to
benefit from talking to a
financial advisor?
“It’s a misconception that you have to be a wealthy expat in France to benefit from talking
to a financial advisor” says Jennie Poate, financial manager of Beacon Global Wealth.
“Often people think that if they don’t have a lot of assets, then a financial planner can’t help
them. But, they could be really missing out on making the most of the assets they do have
and how to plan for their future.”
Case History
Philip and Julie were a typical British couple who planned to move to France for a less
stressful life. They wanted to achieve semi-retirement whilst running their B&B near Le
Mans in the Pays de la Loire.
They had never used a Financial Adviser in the UK but had accumulated personal
pensions and an amount of money left over from their UK house sale. They asked Jennie
how she could help them and we followed their story.
Did you consider that you weren’t wealthy enough to warrant the services of a
financial advisor?
We really didn’t know what our assets were worth. We had an ISA here, a pension there,
savings accounts dotted about that we hadn’t touched for some time, and the funds from
our house sale. Moving to France was a big step and it did cross our minds that we might
need advice. We didn’t have a known financial advisor to turn to because we didn’t
consider ourselves rich enough quite frankly!
How did you end up using a financial adviser in France?
The concerns we had about our finances came to a head when we actually made the move
to France. Experiencing a new tax environment, unsure of whether our assets would have
to remain in Sterling or be converted to Euros - it was confusing, and we needed advice!
We were lucky enough to be introduced to Jennie by a contact we made shortly after we
arrived in France who had highly recommended her services. We met with her in our new
house. Jennie could tell that we needed to feel comfortable with her and worked with us at
our pace. This was so important to us, we needed to be completely confident that our
advisor had our best interests at heart, we have worked really hard to be in this position
and we felt that Jennie understood that.

We began to realise how important it was to have sound financial advice, we are not rich
by any means but there’s no point in giving it away we thought. Our approach in the past
was just to leave things as they were. Jennie helped us to pull together all our savings,
pensions and investments and consolidate them so that we were able to easily see the
overall value of our assets. We were then able to invest appropriately based on how we felt
about risk.
In our case Jennie found us a practical investment solution that had a choice of currency
and was easy to understand. Adding our funds into an Assurance Vie policy meant the
funds can sit there growing tax free until we need them so that it’s working for us in the
meantime. She explained the tax advantages for withdrawals and is always on hand to
answer questions. The biggest peace of mind is the inheritance advantages; having no
children means that it is important to us to pass on what we haven’t spent to other family
members and that can attract high inheritance tax charges.
She amalgamated our personal pensions so that we have a ‘pot’ each. And we have a
choice as to when we take the funds and how much. Two years down the line, we know we
have made the right choices.
Jennie could tell that we needed to really trust her as an individual, not just talk to a
company representative holding a stack of leaflets and forms. The support we’ve had has
made us feel much more secure and to understand our finances better. We’re still not rich
but we know exactly where we stand financially and we’re able to plan for the future in a
much more knowledgeable way. And we’re loving the good life in France!
If you would like expert advice, contact Jennie Poate or a free, no obligation consultation:
jennie@bgwealthmanagement.net or via the Beacon Global Wealth website
The financial advisers trading
under Beacon Wealth
Management are members of
Nexus Global (IFA Network).
Nexus Global is a division within
Blacktower Financial
Management (International)
Limited (BFMI). All approved
individual members of Nexus
Global are Appointed
Representatives of BFMI. BFMI is
licensed and regulated by the
Gibraltar Financial Services
Commission and bound by their
rules under licence number
FSC00805B.
And the information on this page
is intended as an introduction
only and is not designed to offer
solutions or advice. Beacon
Global Wealth Management can
accept no responsibility
whatsoever for losses incurred
by acting on the information on
this page.

The Basics of Banking in
France
There may not be huge differences when it
comes to banking in France and the UK or
other countries, however there maybe
some. Sian Lee-Duclos of CA Britline
explains.
Before looking at the general differences,
let’s break the myth that many people have
that unless you have a French address
(main residence or holiday home) you
cannot open a bank account in France. This
may indeed be the case with some banks,
where their policy doesn't include accounts
for non-French address holders. However
at CA Britline, that's not the case. They offer
an English speaking online banking service
that's open to residents of the UK, Ireland
and France.
Here is a simple guide to banking and how
to avoid the snags and stress that may
occur.
Banks in France
The majority of UK banks, no matter at
which branch you have opened your
account, can provide you with an over-thecounter
service and carry out the requested
transactions on your account, no matter
where you may be in the country.
In France, many banks are co-operative
mutual banks which can be regionalised.
Credit Agricole is one of these. This means
that your account, if held in a branch of
Credit Agricole Normandy, cannot be
visualised, (and therefore managed) in a
region outside Normandy. You will still be
able to use each branch to withdraw cash
from their ATM’s but any day to day
discussions and in-branch management of
your account must be carried out with your
original branch. This can take some getting
used to, especially if you normally do
everything over the counter.
Cheque books
Making payments
Cheques are still commonly used in France
without a cheque guarantee card. It's
important to have funds in your account to
cover the cheque. Postdating a cheque in
France isn't relevant as the beneficiary can
pay it in and it will be processed
immediately. If this happens and you go
overdrawn, you may become what is called
Interdit bancaire and may be banned from
writing cheques for up to 5 years. This may
affect all your French accounts. If it does
happen, contact your branch immediately to
resolve the matter.
Debit cards
Debit cards in France tend to come with an
annual fee (payable monthly or annually).
Debit cards are usually classed as
Immediate or Deferred debit (all payments
being taken on one given date of the month).
Not to be confused with a UK Credit card
which may have similar facilities.

Debit card limits are built in for withdrawals
of cash per week and purchase limits per
month. For example standard cards offer
withdrawals of 450€ per 7 day rolling period
and monthly purchase limits of 2300€. Go
over these limits and you're likely to
experience your card being rejected online,
in shops and ATMs.
CA Britline offer tailor made debit cards with
higher spending limits. You can use them in
France, UK, overseas whether that's inside
or outside of the EU, and withdrawals and
purchases are fee free.
Banking Fees
From bank to bank and region to region the
fees applied may be slightly different. For
example at CA Britline fees are the same as
any other classic branch of Credit Agricole
in Normandy but will not necessarily be the
same as a Credit Agricole in Burgundy or
other regions.
Every year a fee leaflet is sent to all
customers around three months prior to the
fees becoming applicable.
once your application for an account has
been successfully made, you'll receive a
telephone call to take you through how
banking with CA Britline works, and how
your account needs can be tailored.
CA Britline can provide you with a fullyequipped
current account, debit card and
chequebook. There are additional services
if you wish to personalise your account.
The account allows the set-up of direct
debits or standing orders, and the
management of your account can be
conducted online. Demos in English are
available via www.britline.com to guide you
through how this works.
The service also provides Insurance as well
as savings accounts, loans and mortgages.
And, there's a bespoke International
Transfer service with a dedicated specialist
team.
For further information contact CA Britline 00
33 (2)31 55 67 89
Website: www.britline.com
Who are CA Britline?
CA Britline are a branch of Credit Agricole
Normandy. They've been around since 1999
and offer a complete English speaking,
online and distance banking service for
residents in the UK, Ireland and France.
They have a bilingual British/French team
who understand your expectations when it
comes to banking.
The experience of opening a French bank
account is made easy from the outset with
the ability to apply for your account online
and without having to provide a French
address.
Much of the support is in English and when
you decide a French account is needed and,

Pre order M
book at: Eat
In the French Kitchen with Kids: Easy, Everyday Dishes for the Whole Fa
Mardi Michels.
From the prolific blogger behind eat. live. travel. write comes a new cook
and Francophiles of all ages. Forget the fuss and bring simple, delicious
kitchen with Mardi Michels as your guide. In her first book, Mardi shows
have to be complicated. The result is an elegant, approachable cookboo
for young chefs and their families. From savory dishes like Omelettes, C
Frites to sweet treats like Profiteroles, Madeleines or Crème Brûlée, read
classics here. With helpful timetables to plan out baking projects, and ti
involved in cooking, this book breaks down any preconceived notion tha
or too difficult for kids to master. With Mardi's warm, empowering and e
of all ages will be begging to help out in the kitchen every day of the we

Ratatouille Tian
by Mardi Michels
Serves 2
Prep time: 25 minutes Cook
time: 65–75 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 small (31/2 oz/100 g) yellow
onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic minced 2
tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper,
for seasoning
2 baby or 1 small (7 oz/200 g)
eggplant, thinly sliced
1 medium (5 oz/150 g)
zucchini, thinly sliced
3 Roma tomatoes (10 oz/300
g), thinly sliced in rounds
1/2 teaspoon dried Herbes de
Provence
Olive oil, for drizzling
Flaky sea salt and freshly
ground black pepper, for
seasoning
ardi's fabulous cook
.Live. Travel.Write
mily to Make and Enjoy by
book for parents, children
French dishes to your home
that French food doesn't
k featuring recipes tailored
roque-Monsieurs or Steak
ers will find many French
ps on how to get kids
t French cuisine is too fancy
ncouraging instructions, kids
ek.
You may not know what a tian is, but if you’ve seen the
movie Ratatouille, you’ll be familiar with a version of
this presentation of vegetables sliced thinly, cooked
and served in an elegant stack. The dish you see in the
movie was created by Chef Thomas Keller (of The
French Laundry, among other restaurants), who was a
consultant for the movie. My version of those stacked
vegetables is a little easier for younger or novice cooks
to assemble, but once you’ve mastered it, you’re well
on your way to creating restaurant-worthy ratatouille!
It’s important to choose vegetables that have a similar
diameter, so they stack evenly in the baking dish.
1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C).
2. Place the onion slices and minced garlic in the
bottom of a 5- x 7-inch (13 x 18 cm) baking dish.
Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the 1/2
teaspoon flaky sea salt and some freshly ground black
pepper.
3. Stack the eggplant slices upright against the long
side of the dish so they are slightly overlapping each
other. They should be quite tightly packed. Follow with
a row of zucchini slices, arranged in the same manner.
Next, make a row of tomato slices.
4. Continue in this manner until you have no more
vegetable slices left.
You should have enough vegetable slices and room to
make at least two rows of each vegetable.
5. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the vegetables,
sprinkle with the Herbes de Provence, cover the dish
with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
6. Remove the foil from the dish, drizzle with a little
more olive oil and bake, uncovered, for a further 20 to
30 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through.
7. Season to taste. Serve warm or at room
temperature.
Did you know that “tian” is the name not only for this baked
vegetable stew but also the dish it’s cooked in? Traditionally, it
means a shallow earthenware casserole dish, but you can use a
ceramic baking dish for the same effect!

Serves 6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 45 to 55 minutes
Chilling time: 4 hours to overnight
INGREDIENTS
For the caramel:
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar 2
tablespoons water
For the custard:
3 large egg yolks 2 large eggs
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (250 mL) 2% milk
1 cup (250 mL) heavy (35%) cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Special Equipment
Six 1/2-cup (125 ml) ramekins

Crème Caramel
by Mardi Michels
Make the caramel:
1. Place sugar and water in a pot, and swirl them around gently with your finger or a
chopstick to make sure the water is absorbed. Place the pot over medium-high heat. Do not
stir.
2. Once the sugar has melted and is liquid, cook for 4 to 5 minutes,
swirling the pan occasionally, but never stirring, until the caramel is a deep golden color. If
sugar goes up the side of the pan when you are swirling, use a pastry brush dipped in water
to clean the sides of the pot.
3.Pour the caramel directly into the ramekins, swirling to evenly coat the bottom of each one.
Place the ramekins in a deep-sided baking dish or roasting pan, and place this on the
countertop close to the oven.
Make the custard:
1. Preheat the oven to 300˚F (150˚C). Fill a kettle with water and bring it to a boil.
2. In a large, heatproof bowl, using handheld electric beaters, beat
the egg yolks, eggs and sugar on high speed until pale and starting to thicken slightly, 2 to 3
minutes. Place the bowl on a damp cloth or paper towels to hold it in place later when you
are whisking
one-handed.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium-sized pot, heat the milk and cream over medium-high heat. Bring
this to a simmer (do not boil) and immediately remove from the heat.
4. Slowly pour about one-quarter of the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly
so you don’t scramble your eggs! Once this is completely combined, add the rest of the hot
cream and the vanilla, whisking constantly.
5. Pour the mixture into the ramekins. Pour the boiling water from the kettle into the baking
dish, being careful not to get any water in
the custard, until it’s about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. This is called baking in a
bain-marie and it cooks the custard gently.
7. Carefully place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 45 to
55 minutes. The outside of the custard should be cooked but the center of the custards
might still be a little jiggly.
8. Remove the dish from the oven and, using rubber-tipped tongs or a flat spatula, remove
the ramekins from the boiling water. Place them on a wire rack to come to room
temperature.
9. Cover each ramekin in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled,
at least 4 hours or overnight (these will keep for a day or so in the fridge).
10. When you are ready to serve, remove the ramekins from the fridge
and, one by one, place each one in a dish of lukewarm water for a minute or so.
11. Run the blade of a small knife around the edge of the custard, place
a small plate on top of each ramekin and, holding tight, flip the plate. The custard should fall
easily onto the plate but if not, you can shake the plate vertically until you hear it drop.

Scrumptious
Chestnut and
Chocolate
Torte
Ingredients
250g of cooked, peeled chestnuts
250g of unsalted butter plus extra for
greasing
250g of 70% coca solids dark chocolate
125ml of double cream
125ml of full fat milk
125g of caster sugar
4 eggs (separate the yolk from the
whites)
This recipe comes from the No. 1 Luxury
B&B in France, La Villa de Mazamet in
the south of France near Carcassonne .
Pre-heat oven to 150 degrees
1. Grease a 20 cm spring form cake tin. Place the chestnuts, cream & milk into a
saucepan, heat gently.
2. Place the chocolate (broken into small pieces) and the butter (cubed) into another pan –
heat gently.
3. Place the sugar and egg yolks into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until pale and
thick.
4. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peak consistency.
5. Pour the warmed chestnut mixture into a food processor and, using the pulse setting,
blitz for a few seconds. Pour this and the melted chocolate & butter onto the eggs/sugar
mixture and stir thoroughly to combine.
6/ Finally, fold in the egg whites and the pour the mixture into your cake tin and back for
35-40 mins. Remove the oven and allow to cool completely.
Serve with crème fraiche which goes wonderfully with the rich chocolate torte.

My Good Life in France...
It's been more than 14 years since I first set eyes on my run down old farmhouse
in the middle of nowhere, rural Hauts de France. I distinctly remember my sensible
dad saying to me "this house is a money pit" and telling me I shouldn't touch it with
a barge pole. I bought it on the spot, not because I was a rebellious daughter but,
it cost less than some handbags and I knew it had massive potential. If I'd known
that all this time later I'd still be working on fulfilling that potential, I don't think I
would have believed it! Yet here I am, rendering walls, painting shutters and laying
steps and with a fair bit still to do.
I wish I could say it's the final run but of course it isn't. I wish I could say it's been
fun but of course it hasn't always. I'm thinking of the exploding septic tank incident,
breaking my fingers when I dropped a concrete block, having the bejeezus scared
out of me when I disturbed a nest of rats when we opened a boarded up room and
having tiles dropped from the roof onto my head amongst other things.
I would though do it all again if I had to make a choice. The house has changed
from a damp (think water running down the walls), cold (ice forming on the inside
of windows in winter), hardly habitable (dirt floors and corrugated iron farm doors)
barn into a cosy, comfy and charming home.
It's changed me too. I've gone from being a corporate office worker to a builder,
gardener, dog and cat maid and chicken keeper. Though I still can't cook, I know
how my food is grown, I grow a lot of it myself. I'm no longer a city slicker (well not
100% anyway) but a rubber boot wearing country bumpkin and proud of it too!
I would have never thought that I could do half the things I've learned to do - from
standing on the roof to help with the tiling (I have a fear of heights), to plastering
walls. I've fulfilled a dream to write a book based on my new life and made
thousands and thousands of new friends through writing a blog and sharing it on
Facebook.
Sometimes life takes a diversion from the course that you thought you had
planned. There's an old saying "we travel not to escape life but for life not to
escape us", so if you're dreaming of a new life in France and you're not quite sure
or you have any questions about it, feel free to message me, I'm always happy to
give advice where I can. One of the other things I discovered about living in rural
France - sharing makes us happier...
Janine, Editor of The Good Life France

www.ofx.com